After months of silence, Debbie Wasserman Schultz has finally spoken out about the arrest of House Democrat IT staffer, Imran Awan.

Highlights…

She thinks the U.S. Capitol Police and the FBI investigations are racially-motivated.

“And, [Wasserman Schultz] said, she believes he may have been put under scrutiny because of his religious faith. Awan is Muslim. … “When their investigation was reviewed with me, I was presented with no evidence of anything that they were being investigated for. And so that in me gave me great concern that his due process rights were being violated. That there were racial and ethnic profiling concerns that I had.’” (Sun Sentinel, 8/3/16)

She claims the laptop she threatened the U.S. Capitol Police Chief over doesn’t even belong to her.

VIDEO : During a May Capitol Police appropriations hearing, DWS told the Capitol Police chief that he “should expect that there would be consequences” for confiscating her computer equipment. “ If a member loses the equipment and it is found by the Capitol Police or your staff and it is identified as that member’s equipment and the member is not associated with any case, and that is their equipment it is supposed to be returned. Yes or no? … Member’s equipment is member’s equipment it is not under my understanding the Capitol Police are not able to confiscate member’s equipment when the member is not under investigation.” (U.S. Capitol Police: FY2018 Budget, 5/18/17)

: During a May Capitol Police appropriations hearing, DWS told the Capitol Police chief that he for confiscating her computer equipment. “ and it is found by the Capitol Police or your staff and it is identified as that member’s equipment and the member is not associated with any case, and that is their equipment it is supposed to be returned. Yes or no? … when the member is not under investigation.” (U.S. Capitol Police: FY2018 Budget, 5/18/17) Now: “This was not my laptop. I have never seen that laptop. I don’t know what’s on the laptop.” (Sun Sentinel, 8/3/16)

She denies she’s been hiding from questions about this, saying: “I’ve been on vacation.”

“ Most Democratic lawmakers cut ties with Awan and his family after the criminal investigation came to light in early February . But Awan continued to be employed by Wasserman Schultz, although it’s unclear what his job duties were, given he had been barred from accessing the House IT system for months.” (Politico, 7/25/17)

. But Awan continued to be employed by Wasserman Schultz, although it’s unclear what his job duties were, given he had been barred from accessing the House IT system for months.” (Politico, 7/25/17) Now: “She said she hasn’t been hiding from her constituents or the controversy. Wasserman Schultz said she’s spent a few days on vacation… ‘I’ve been on vacation,’ she said. ‘I’m not hiding, and I have no reason to hide.’” (Sun Sentinel, 8/3/16)

To top it all off, Wasserman Schultz is defiantly denying any wrongdoing: “I did the right thing, and I would do it again.”

Debbie Wasserman Schultz should answer Congressional leaders’ calls for her to testify in front of Congress about this entire scandal. And since she’s implying that the Capitol Police and FBI are racist, does that mean she thinks all of her Democratic colleagues who fired Awan and his family in February are Islamophobic, too?

Background

Imran Awan, a House staffer, was still employed by Democrat. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL) as of Tuesday morning. (Politico, 7/25/17)

Awan is “at the center of a criminal investigation potentially impacting dozens of lawmakers,” and he was arrested at Dulles Airport on Monday night for bank fraud while attempting to flee the country. Awan was attempting to board a flight to Pakistan after wiring $283,000 from the Congressional Federal Credit Union to that country. (Politico, 7/25/17; Daily Caller, 7/25/17)

The criminal investigation alleges the “stealing equipment from members’ offices without their knowledge and committing serious, potentially illegal, violations on the House IT network.” Awan allegedly stole hundreds of thousands of dollars in equipment from House offices, and funneled sensitive congressional data offsite as part of a massive cybersecurity breach. (Politico, 3/1/17; Fox News, 3/14/17)

The FBI recently seized smashed hard drives from Awan’s home. (Daily Caller, 7/23/17)

Last year alone, Awan worked for 13 House Democrats. (Legistorm, Accessed 5/25/17)

Awan has “made nearly $2 million since starting as an IT support staffer for House Democrats in 2004,” and he and his family have received at least $4 million since July 2009. (Politico, 3/1/17; Daily Caller, 3/1/17)

Other Democrats fired Awan, while Wasserman Schultz decided to change his title instead. (Politico, 3/1/17)

VIDEO: When asked about it two months ago, Nancy Pelosi dodged. (C-SPAN, 5/25/17)

Awan and his brothers were barred from House of Representatives computer networks in February. (Daily Caller, 2/4/17)

U.S. Capitol police is evidently holding onto equipment that belongs to Wasserman Schultz as part of its criminal investigation. (Sun-Sentinel, 5/25/17)

VIDEO: Wasserman Schultz used an Appropriations subcommittee meeting on the U.S. Capitol Police budget to tell the chief of the U.S. Capitol Police that he “should expect that there would be consequences” for confiscating computer equipment as part of the investigation. (U.S. Capitol Police: FY2018 Budget, 5/18/17)

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