Today I sent a letter to Attorney General William Barr demanding the legal justification for the reported surveillance of my constituents who are opposed to the Jordan Cove liquid natural gas (LNG) pipeline and processing facility.

Recent reports indicate that the Department of Justice has been monitoring Oregon anti-pipeline activists who are peacefully expressing their constitutionally-protected free speech and assembly rights. Some of Oregon's tribes are also opposed to the project which raises the question: why is federal law enforcement tracking the actions of sovereign nations? You better believe that I'm fighting to get answers.

this sort of surveillance harkens back to the J. Edgar Hoover era and goes against the fundamental freedoms of every American. We cannot slip back to the dark days of spying on Americans simply because they oppose federal government action!

Many of those protesting the Jordan Cove project are landowners – ordinary people – who are opposed to the seizure of their property through eminent domain. I've introduced a bill that would prevent eminent domain from being used in the future for projects of this nature and have been doing everything within my federal purview to support my impacted constituents.

I've demanded the legal authority for this surveillance, an appraisal of the current status of surveillance measures and all actions taken, and that the Department of Justice notifies all individuals and organizations who have been subject to this monitoring or surveillance.

Peter