FBI Seizes Democrat Computer Equipment – But Not The Ones You Are Thinking Of

The FBI has seized hard drives in connection with an investigation into the former information technology administrator of former Democratic National Committee chair Debbie Wasserman Schulz (D-Fl.). The hard drives in question are not the ones that you are thinking of. The hardware in question is apparently unconnected to the Russian hack of the DNC.

The Daily Caller reports that hard drives belonging to Imran Awan, a Pakistani IT worker for Wasserman Schulz since 2005, were found by the new tenants of a rental home formerly occupied by Awan. The new tenants, a Marine veteran married to a Navy officer, thought the equipment looked suspicious and called the Naval Criminal Investigative Service. According to the renter, the trove contained “wireless routers, hard drives that look like they tried to destroy, laptops, [and] a lot of brand new expensive toner.”

“It was in the garage. They recycled cabinets and lined them along the walls. They left in a huge hurry,” the Marine said. “It looks like government-issued equipment. We turned that stuff over.”

The FBI an Capitol Police arrived later to confiscate the equipment and interview the couple.

Imram Awan, together with two brothers, their wives and two other friends also worked for several House Democrats. The Daily Caller reports that the group was paid more than $4 million by Democrats since 2009. The Awans and their colleagues were fired by House Democrats last March amid an investigation into theft of computer equipment and committing illegal violations of the House IT network.

Whatever is on the computer equipment, Awan is apparently desperate to get them back. The Marine renter reported that Awan, who is his landlord, threatened to sue the couple to get the items back. He says that Awan also refused to have mail forwarded to his new address.

The investigation of the Awans is still unfolding, but it may cause problems some congressional Democrats as well. In May, Wasserman Schulz demanded the return of a laptop believed to belong to Awan. The Daily Caller reported at the time that Wasserman Schulz claimed that the laptop belonged to her and asserted congressional privilege. Police have not examined the laptop, citing the Constitution’s Speech and Debate Clause, but they also did not return it. Wasserman Schulz is currently in negotiations to provide police with access to the data on the computer.

An FBI spokesman said, “FBI does not have anything to provide on this and I will still have to refer you to [Capitol Police] for any public comment.”

Originally published on The Resurgent