Sharyl Attkisson is suing the Justice Department for illegal surveillance, claiming the Obama administration hacked her computer. The former CBS News correspondent confirmed the information on Monday.
Attkisson says the hacking occurred between 2011 and 2013 while she was investigating the Benghazi attacks, the Fast and Furious, and Obamacare.
She cited three computer forensic exams as evidence that data and passwords were stolen from her home and work computers. She also alleges the hackers monitored her audio with Skype.
In Attkisson’s recent book Stonewalled, she writes a source told her the hack was a “sophisticated entity that used a commercial, nonattributable spyware that’s a propriety to a government agency: either the CIA, FBI, the Defense Intelligence Agency, or the National Security Agency.”
As Sharyl Attkisson is suing the Justice Department, she is seeking $35 million in damages.
The Justice Department has denied any involvement in the hacking.
In an interview she explained, “I just think it’s important to send a message that people shouldn’t be victimized and throw up their hands and think there’s nothing they can do and they’re powerless.”
Attkisson also posted on Twitter:
Be wary of those who choose not to question authority but instead only question those who question authority. @DylanByers
— Sharyl Attkisson (@SharylAttkisson) January 5, 2015
The former CBS News correspondent left the network in March. Attkisson believes CBS has an overt liberal bias and lacks dedication to investigative journalism. She was also frustrated with the influence the network’s corporate sponsors had over stories.
Politico reported that sources from CBS said Attkisson’s coverage of the Obama administration had become agenda-driven. Because of this, the network executives didn’t believe she could cover information without her own bias.
Additionally, Media Matters noted inconsistencies with Attkisson’s allegations over the computer hacking. The liberal watchdog pointed out that in her book Attkisson’s source provided the name of the person responsible for the cyberattack. However, in another interview she claimed she didn’t know who exactly was behind the hacking.
Coincidentally, Sharyl Attkisson suing the Justice Department for a computer hacking comes almost three weeks after the U.S. accused North Korea of hacking Sony.
[Photo Credit: mioi]