Watchdogs Press Courts to Reveal FBI Payments to Social Media and Unseal Broad Warrant on Trump Ally

Government accountability groups are asking federal judges in Washington to compel the FBI to release records on its payments to social media platforms and to unseal a sweeping search warrant targeting the digital accounts of a longtime Trump associate.

The New Civil Liberties Alliance filed a motion for summary judgment in its Freedom of Information Act lawsuit against the FBI and Justice Department. The suit seeks documents on FBI payments to Twitter and similar companies for processing requests that could include efforts to limit speech, modify algorithms, or facilitate content moderation aligned with government interests.

The FBI has refused to conduct a full search, citing a law enforcement exemption and issuing a Glomar response that neither confirms nor denies the existence of records. NCLA argues the agency cannot invoke blanket secrecy because it has publicly acknowledged making such payments for years under the Stored Communications Act to reimburse companies for responding to legal process. The group notes the FBI previously paid Twitter more than $3 million related to processing requests. The case is before U.S. District Judge Carl Nichols, with the government’s response due August 14.

In a separate action, Judicial Watch asked U.S. District Judge James Boasberg to allow Michael Caputo to intervene and unseal materials from a November 18, 2024, search warrant. The warrant, kept secret from Caputo for a year with a gag order on Google, authorized access to his entire online private life hosted by the company—including emails, banking records, calendar entries, and search history. Caputo, a political consultant, documentary filmmaker, and former Trump campaign and administration official, learned of the investigation only after it ended without charges. The FBI had targeted an email account containing the campaign’s private strategies and deliberations shortly after he joined the effort. Judicial Watch contends there is strong public interest in disclosure and no ongoing prosecution risk. Boasberg ordered the government to respond by July 16.

These efforts come amid broader congressional debate over government pressure on private platforms. Senators Ted Cruz and Ron Wyden introduced the JAWBONE Act last month. The bill would let victims of alleged government-directed censorship sue for damages and require agencies to report certain communications with companies to Congress.

The cases highlight ongoing disputes over transparency in federal interactions with technology companies and the handling of investigations involving political figures.