FBI monitored my calls with Sen. Lucas, says Congressman Suhas Subramanyam
Synopsis
A sitting Indian American Democratic Congressman has publicly disclosed that the FBI wiretapped his phone calls — not as a target, but as collateral to a federal probe into a Virginia state senator. The revelation, timed to a redistricting campaign and a congressional Epstein inquiry, has escalated accusations that the Trump Justice Department is being used as a political instrument.
Key Takeaways
Congressman Suhas Subramanyam disclosed on 4 September that the FBI and DOJ monitored his calls with Virginia State Senator Louise Lucas .
The wiretap occurred between March and May , during Virginia’s redistricting referendum campaign.
Subramanyam was not the target of the investigation — his conversations were intercepted as part of a probe into Senator Lucas .
The period also coincided with the House Oversight Committee pressing Attorney General Pam Bondi to testify on the Epstein investigation.
The Justice Department and FBI did not immediately respond to his allegations about the motivation for the surveillance.
Subramanyam, born in Bengaluru , was elected to Congress from Virginia in 2024 .
Indian American Congressman Suhas Subramanyam revealed on Thursday, 4 September that the FBI and the Justice Department had informed him that his telephone conversations with Virginia State Senator Louise Lucas were monitored as part of a federal investigation. Subramanyam, a Democrat representing Virginia's 10th Congressional District, called the surveillance “deeply concerning” and its timing “extremely suspicious.”
What Subramanyam Was Told
The Congressman confirmed that federal authorities notified him directly. “The FBI and DOJ recently informed me that my phone conversations with State Senator and President Pro Tempore Louise Lucas were being monitored as part of their investigation into Senator Lucas,” he said. His statement makes clear that Subramanyam himself was not the target of the investigation — rather, his conversations were intercepted because Lucas was under scrutiny.
Why the Timing Raised Red Flags
Subramanyam said the wiretap occurred between March and May, which he described as “the peak of campaigning for the redistricting referendum in Virginia.” He also linked the period to congressional oversight activity, noting it coincided with the House Oversight Committee calling on Attorney General Pam Bondi to testify on the Jeffrey Epstein investigation. “The timing of this wiretap and investigation is extremely suspicious,” he said. “This should concern anyone who believes in a real Department of Justice that serves the American people and not a singular President.”
Subramanyam's Broader Accusation
The Congressman went further, accusing the Trump administration of weaponising the Justice Department against political opponents. “Trump’s DOJ has become his own personal law firm, with his former personal attorney carrying out vendettas on Trump’s political enemies,” he said. He alleged that the administration had “politically investigated multiple states’ Attorneys General and the former FBI director” and had now “admit[ted] they have surveilled conversations by a sitting Democratic Congressman.” The Justice Department and FBI did not immediately respond to his allegations regarding the motivation behind the surveillance.
Defiance and a Warning
Subramanyam said the episode would not silence Democratic opposition. “If this surveillance was done to scare us and to get Democrats to stop pushing back against Trump’s political overreach, they are mistaken,” he said. “We will not back down. We will continue our investigations into this President and his corrupt administration.”
Who Is Suhas Subramanyam
Born in Bengaluru and raised in the United States, Subramanyam was elected to Congress from Virginia in 2024 after serving in the Virginia General Assembly. A lawyer and former technology policy adviser in the Obama administration, he is among a growing cohort of Indian Americans in the US Congress. His emergence as a vocal critic of the Trump administration adds a notable dimension to an already politically charged surveillance disclosure.
Point of View
And he chose to go public. That sequence is deliberate and politically calculated. Subramanyam’s framing ties the surveillance to two pressure points: Virginia’s redistricting fight and the Epstein oversight push, which broadens the accusation from personal grievance to institutional pattern. The Justice Department’s silence on motive is telling; denying political intent would be straightforward if the facts supported it. Whether or not the probe into Senator Lucas has independent merit, the optics of a Democratic Congressman’s calls being swept up in a Trump-era DOJ investigation — during a redistricting campaign — will be difficult to contain.
NationPress
4 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What did the FBI tell Congressman Suhas Subramanyam?
The FBI and Justice Department informed Subramanyam that his telephone conversations with Virginia State Senator Louise Lucas were monitored as part of a federal investigation into Senator Lucas. Subramanyam himself was not identified as a target of the investigation.
When did the wiretapping of Subramanyam's calls take place?
According to Subramanyam, the monitoring occurred between March and May, a period he described as the peak of Virginia’s redistricting referendum campaign. He also noted it coincided with congressional pressure on Attorney General Pam Bondi over the Epstein investigation.
Who is Louise Lucas and why was she under investigation?
Louise Lucas is a Virginia State Senator who serves as President Pro Tempore of the state Senate. The nature and current status of the federal investigation into her were not detailed in Subramanyam’s statement.
Has the Justice Department responded to Subramanyam's allegations?
The Justice Department and FBI did not immediately respond to Subramanyam’s allegations about the motivation behind the surveillance, according to his public statement.
Who is Suhas Subramanyam?
Suhas Subramanyam is a Democratic Congressman representing Virginia’s 10th Congressional District, elected in 2024. Born in Bengaluru and raised in the United States, he is a lawyer and former technology policy adviser in the Obama administration, and one of a growing number of Indian Americans serving in the US Congress.
