Cruz, Roy demand answers from Garland on FBI allegedly secretly recording progressive anti-abortion group

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Cruz accuses Garland of politicizing DOJ, AG fires back in heated exchange

Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, heavily criticized Attorney General Merrick Garland during a Wednesday Senate Judiciary Committee hearing.

EXCLUSIVE: A pair of Texas Republican lawmakers demanded answers from Attorney General Merrick Garland on allegations that the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) secretly recorded a meeting of a progressive anti-abortion group.

Texas Republicans Senator Ted Cruz and Rep. Chip Roy sent Garland a letter on Wednesday amid the secretary's hearing regarding the Progressive Anti-Abortion Uprising's (PAAU) allegations of an undercover FBI agent secretly recorded one of their meetings.

"Ultimately, these allegations are deeply concerning," Cruz told Fox News Digital. "The American people deserve to know if their tax dollars and federal law enforcement agencies are being used to spy on pro-life Americans – and we will continue to press the Department of Justice for the answers they owe the public."

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"'Eric Mike Santos' attended and taped a pro-life meeting at the Watergate hotel in Washington D.C. on January 19, 2023, according to the group," the lawmakers wrote.

Texas Republicans Senator Ted Cruz, pictured here, and Rep. Chip Roy sent Garland a letter on Wednesday amid the secretary's hearing regarding the Progressive Anti-Abortion Uprising's (PAAU) allegations an undercover FBI agent secretly recorded one of their meetings. (Eric Lee/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

"The recording was then used in federal court as evidence that PAAU Director of Activism, Lauren Handy, violated her terms of release," the Republicans continued.

"Allegations that the FBI is spying on pro-life gatherings in tandem with the rise in high-profile FBI investigations into pro-life Americans raise well-founded concerns for millions of Americans," the letter reads. "The American people deserve the truth – are their tax dollars and federal law enforcement agencies being used to spy on pro-life Americans?"

The lawmakers then peppered Garland with questions regarding the allegations, including if the FBI sent "an undercover informant" to the pro-life meeting, what reasons they FBI and Department of Justice "consider it necessary" for the alleged informant's attendance, and if the FBI "regularly" sends undercover informants "to pro-life meetings."

Additionally, the lawmakers asked Garland to explain "the FBI's [rationale] for using bureau resources to spy on pro-life meetings" and if the FBI views "pro-life Americans as domestic terrorists."

Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, picture here, asked Garland to explain "the FBI's [rationale] for using bureau resources to spy on pro-life meetings" and if the FBI views "pro-life Americans as domestic terrorists." (Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)

Last month, the PAAU alleged the FBI sent an undercover informant to record their group meeting.

"The prosecutors attempted to claim this recording of Handy discussing plans for nonviolent direct actions in and around abortion businesses was a violation of her terms of release in her ongoing federal case which stipulate she is prohibited from entering abortion centers," the group's Twitter account wrote.

"Handy made headlines last year when she along with 10 others including PAAU Executive Board member Herb Geraghty and pro-life icon Joan Andrews Bell were charged under the FACE Act (Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances)," the group continued.

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"Each of the defendants are facing 11 years in federal prison for allegedly blocking access to a Washington D.C. all-term abortion business run by Cesare Santangelo, also known as 'The Butcher of D.C.' in the fall of 2020," they said.

FBI Director Chris Wray was asked about the topic during a Fox News interview on Tuesday but he declined to answer. "Well, as I'm sure you can appreciate, Bret, I can't really appropriately talk about when, where and how we use confidential informants," Wray told Fox News' Bret Baier. 

The FBI declined to comment.