Federal Judge Orders Rep. Scott Perry to Hand Over Phone Data in 2020 Election and Jan. 6 Probes

A federal judge has ruled that federal investigators can access thousands of communications, including text messages and emails, on the cellphone of Rep. Scott Perry of Pennsylvania as part of the special counsel's 2020 election probe into former President Donald Trump and his allies. The judge's ruling overrides Perry's claims of constitutional protection, stating that the data could include communications regarding the Capitol insurrection and discussions about Vice President Pence's role in the Electoral Count Act. Perry had argued that the Speech and Debate clause protected his cellphone records, but the judge disagreed.