Original Source
Senator Kennedy Slams Verizon for Handing Over GOP Lawmakers' Phone Records
Verizon's "Incompetent" Legal Department Under Fire
During a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing, Senator John Kennedy (Republican) strongly criticized telecommunications company Verizon for not challenging a subpoena from Special Counsel Jack Smith, who investigated former President Donald Trump, for the phone records of 20 House members. Kennedy suggested that Verizon's legal department failed to ascertain Smith's identity and the implications of a non-disclosure order (NDO) included in the court order, directly questioning if Verizon hires "dummies." He asserted that a reasonably competent lawyer would have filed a motion to quash such a subpoena.
Concerns Over "Political Motivation" and Legal Liability
Kennedy indicated that the subpoena was politically motivated, noting that it was widely known that President Biden had instructed the Attorney General to sue former President Trump and that Smith was hired for this purpose. He accused Verizon of "sucking up" all the metadata from the House members' phone records "like a Hoover Deluxe" without even confirming if they were members of Congress. Kennedy further questioned the potential liability Verizon faces for complying without due diligence, emphasizing that Verizon's actions were "extremely incompetent" for failing to inquire about the identities of those being subpoenaed and whether they were congressional members.
*Source: YouTube: Times of India (2026-03-24)*
