Fri Oct 29, 2021, 11:09 AM

Judge Says GOP Congressman Can't Be Left Alone With Evidence

Judge Says GOP Congressman Can’t Be Left Alone With Evidence
Undercover
The judge was so concerned that Rep. Jeff Fortenberry (R-NE) might compromise the case that he prohibited Fortenberry from looking at the evidence against him by himself.
Roger Sollenberger
Political Reporter
Updated Oct. 29, 2021 5:47AM ET / Published Oct. 29, 2021 4:50AM ET
Bill Clark/Getty

After Rep. Jeff Fortenberry (R-NE) was indicted last week for lying to the FBI over foreign donations to his campaign, authorities took the rare step Thursday of trying to prevent the nine-term Republican from tampering with witnesses or handling evidence without supervision.

The order, handed down by Judge Stanley Blumenfield in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, also reveals that the government is pursuing multiple related investigations involving other “public officials.”

In the ruling, Blumenfield sided with the prosecution’s concerns that Fortenberry cannot be trusted to handle evidence about cooperating witnesses. The order prohibits Fortenberry from taking notes or “memorializing” the evidence, and even requires his lawyers to ensure he is “never left alone with any Cooperator Materials.”

“Defendant may not take any Cooperator Materials out of the room in which defendant is meeting with the Defense Team. At no time, under no circumstance, will any Cooperator Materials be left in the possession, custody, or control of defendant, regardless of defendant’s custody status,” the judge wrote.

“Because these materials could be used to identify the confidential informants or cooperating witnesses," the judge wrote, "the Court finds that the unauthorized dissemination or distribution of the materials may compromise the ability of such persons to participate effectively in future investigations in an undercover capacity and/or may expose him/her to potential safety risks.”

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https://www.thedailybeast.com/judge-says-gop-congressman-jeff-fortenberry-cant-be-left-alone-with-evidence?ref=home

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18 replies	Author	Time	Post
Judge Says GOP Congressman Can't Be Left Alone With Evidence (Original post)	babylonsister	Oct 2021	OP
A major reckoning is coming	malaise	Oct 2021	#1
I hope you are correct	Ferrets are Cool	Oct 2021	#8
Lordy Lordy I hope you're right.	calimary	Oct 2021	#14
I so hope you are right.	rurallib	Oct 2021	#16
"may expose him/her to potential safety risks." In a Heartbeat they would	MagickMuffin	Oct 2021	#2
Traitors and thieves should be treated as such.	dalton99a	Oct 2021	#3
Quotes about secrets...	Backseat Driver	Oct 2021	#4
Should any accused be left alone with the evidence?	Sneederbunk	Oct 2021	#5
that's what I was thinking	MissMillie	Oct 2021	#7
This message was self-deleted by its author	Chin music	Oct 2021	#11
"foreign donations to his campaign,"	KS Toronado	Oct 2021	#6
"All I need to prove my innocence is five minutes alone...	dchill	Oct 2021	#9
I hate to be a spelling Nazi, but it's "Fartenberry."	progressoid	Oct 2021	#10
snort	I_UndergroundPanther	Oct 2021	#18
TFG Appointee. N/T	OneCrazyDiamond	Oct 2021	#12
That's ok, I hear Matt Gaetz can't be left alone with ....	bucolic_frolic	Oct 2021	#13
Astounding that the judge needs to make that order.	LiberalFighter	Oct 2021	#15
Funny story...once a long time ago I got pulled over and the police officer found a roach in my car	pecosbob	Oct 2021	#17