The Parnas Perspective

Episode Summary: “Breaking: Trump Caught Spying on Lawmakers in Bombshell Scandal”

Host: Aaron Parnas
Date: February 12, 2026

Overview

In this explosive episode of The Parnas Perspective, Aaron Parnas breaks the story of a major scandal: the Justice Department, under Attorney General Pam Bondi during Donald Trump’s administration, has been caught systematically tracking the search histories and movements of both Democratic and Republican lawmakers. This surveillance occurred as legislators accessed the semi-redacted Jeffrey Epstein files on DOJ property. The revelation, based on photographic evidence and direct lawmaker testimony, is described as one of the most profound breaches of trust between Congress and the executive branch in modern times.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

The Scandal Unveiled [(00:00–02:32)]

• Breaking News: DOJ is caught surveilling Congressional members from both parties during their investigation of the Epstein files.

• Photographic Evidence:

  • Reuters captures an image at the House Judiciary Committee hearing – visible is a DOJ-prepared document labeled “jayapal Pramila Search history,” listing what Rep. Pramila Jayapal looked at within the Epstein files.
  • Indicates individualized surveillance: “Pam Bondi had the Justice Department prepare one of these for each member of Congress.” (A: Aaron Parnas, 01:44)

• Technical Mechanism:

  • Lawmakers were given unique login credentials tied to their names each time they accessed DOJ computers to review the sensitive files.
  • “Every time they logged or searched a document, it was tracked.” (A: 02:27)

Firsthand Accounts from Lawmakers [(02:32–06:00)]

• Congressman Suhas Subramaniam Describes the Setup (02:32–03:23)

  “The DOJ set up four computers in a really tiny room... [W]e had to wait our turns... they have a unique login and password for each one of us. And what I'm realizing now is that they were tracking all of our searches and everything we were looking for.” (B: Subramaniam, 02:32)

  • House members not permitted electronics; only could use legal pads and pre-redacted materials.
  • Discovery that the AG was physically bringing search histories (with members’ names) to hearings.

• Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren on Surveillance (03:45–04:37)

  “These are notes that the Attorney General brought to the hearing today... And this shows a list of Democratic Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal... searches... [I]t’s a surveillance of Congress by the Trump administration.” (C: Lofgren, 03:45)

• Republican Congresswoman Nancy Mace’s Technical Observations (04:56–05:43)

  • Mace verifies, as a tech-savvy user, that the system logs every file opened by each lawmaker – all attached to their name.

  “They're tracking every file that we open, and when we open it, they're tracking everything...” (D: Mace, 04:56)

  • Reveals that the tracking is visible if you know where to look, hence did not disclose specifics.

System Usability and Lawmaker Frustration [(05:43–07:46)]

• Outdated Tech and Intentional Obfuscation

  • “It looks like Microsoft from 95... kind of clunky to navigate.” (D: Mace, 05:47)
  • Searching and reviewing files is made deliberately difficult, frustrating those seeking truth.

• Concerns from Rep. Teresa Leger Fernandez [(06:16–07:46)]

  “They are going to be recording this. And this is exactly why this whole process is flawed and a sham ... It is an outrage that they are spying on Congress.” (E: Leger Fernandez, 06:17)

  • DOJ does the bare minimum for transparency but handicaps Congress’s ability to thoroughly investigate.
  • Specific interest in New Mexico’s Zorro Ranch files hindered by redactions and poor system design.

  “It's clear that the redactions are haphazard, that they. They are redacting information that would be useful for somebody doing a true investigation to understand what the links are.” (E: 07:11)

Notable Quotes

• Aaron Parnas (Host):

  “You're seeing now is a major breach of trust between the legislative branch and the executive branch, one that will have reverberating effects for years and decades to come.” (A: 00:43)

• Rep. Suhas Subramaniam:

  “What I'm realizing now is that they were tracking all of our searches and everything we were looking for.” (B: 02:48)

• Rep. Zoe Lofgren:

  “It’s a surveillance of Congress by the Trump administration.” (C: 04:17)

• Rep. Nancy Mace:

  “They're tracking every file that we open, and when we open it, they're tracking everything. And you can see the way that they're tracking you when you're logged in.” (D: 04:56)

• Rep. Teresa Leger Fernandez:

  “It is an outrage that they are spying on Congress.” (E: 06:41)

Memorable Moments & Key Timestamps

• 00:00–02:32: Breaking the story; presenting photographic evidence linking the DOJ to surveillance.
• 02:32–03:23: Rep. Subramaniam details the technical setup and personal realization of being surveilled.
• 03:45–04:37: Rep. Lofgren’s review of photographic evidence and outright labeling the acts as “surveillance.”
• 04:56–05:54: Rep. Mace explains visible tracking and the outdated system design.
• 06:16–07:46: Rep. Leger Fernandez’s immediate suspicion and condemnation of the process as a “sham.”
• 07:11–07:46: Redactions prevent thorough investigation; frustration voiced.

Episode Tone & Speaker Perspectives

The overall tone is urgent, outraged, and direct. Lawmakers from both parties express bipartisan condemnation of DOJ actions. The episode aims to drive home the unprecedented nature of this breach and its grave implications for checks and balances.

Closing

Aaron promises further updates as the scandal unfolds, encouraging listeners to stay engaged and informed.