A Republican opposition research firm is increasing its efforts to dig up dirt on Bernie Sanders after his victory over Hillary Clinton in New Hampshire.
America Rising sent a batch of routine Freedom of Information Act requests this week asking for correspondence between Sanders' Senate office and federal government departments. The group had also submitted some requests for Sanders last month.
Typically, such requests are sent years before the presidential race due to the lengthy FOIA process. A review of FOIA logs with federal agencies shows America Rising looking into Clinton years before the election due to her status as the presumptive nominee.
The FOIAs, obtained by BuzzFeed News are a sign the group isn't discounting a chance of a Sanders nomination. Earlier this week, Rising released a video going after the candidate's positions.
America Rising's executive director, Colin Reed, told BuzzFeed News, "After Secretary Clinton's embarrassing loss in New Hampshire, self-avowed socialist Bernie Sanders is now in a dead heat for the Democratic nomination. America Rising is acting accordingly, and expanding our already-existing research efforts into Senator Sanders. We'll continue holding Secretary Clinton accountable, and with three ongoing federal investigations and her trustworthy numbers at astonishing lows, she's given us plenty of material."
Here's are the group's requests:
