After agreeing to order an FBI investigation into the credible sexual abuse allegations brought against Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh, President Donald Trump has reportedly restricted what the agency can look at.

Despite saying the FBI has “free reign,” Trump has set tight rules that appear to stop the investigators from pursuing promising leads.

ADVERTISEMENT

According to a NBC News report, Trump won’t allow any investigation into the gang rape allegations brought forward by Julie Swetnick or even allow the FBI to obtain documents related to alleged accomplice Mark Judge’s brief tenure as a Safeway bag boy, which would help establish a timeline for Dr. Christine Blasey Ford’s account.

In the NBC News report, a Trump aide claimed “it’s not unusual for the White House to set the parameters of an FBI background check.”

However, former White House ethics czar Norm Eisen says that’s not true.

“I dealt with hundreds of these as [White House] Ethics Czar and it is malpractice for [White House] to rule out Swetnick, Yale boozing, Judge’s Safeway job, etc,” Eisen wrote on Twitter. “I call cover up.”

This is a lie: “A U.S. official..said its not unusual for the White House to set the parameters of an FBI background check.” I dealt with hundreds of these as WH Ethics Czar & it is malpractice for WH to rule out Swetnick, Yale boozing, Judge’s Safeway job & etc. I call cover up. https://t.co/0k25jzy2gn — Norm Eisen (@NormEisen) September 30, 2018