FBI Search at Florida Democrat’s Home Related to Tucker Carlson Leaks?

According to the Tampa Bay Times, the FBI searched the home of reporter & media consultant Tim Burke and his wife, Tampa City Council member Lynn Hurtak, regarding computer hacks at Fox News.

The search happened earlier this month and Hurtak said “it appears that the search warrant executed at our home on Monday was solely related to my husband’s work as a journalist.”

From Spectrum Bay News 9 earlier this month:

Hurtak’s husband, Tim Burke, is the director of video at The Daily Beast.

According to Spectrum Bay News 9’s partner newspaper the Tampa Bay Times, FBI agents executed the search warrant on Hurtak’s home at 6 a.m. and left just before 4 p.m.

Agents took computers, phones and other equipment belonging to Burke.

Burke runs a media company called Burke Communications.

According to the Times, Burke said he was not certain why the agents came to his home but did say it was his name on the search warrant.

ADVERTISEMENT

The Tampa Bay Times obtained a letter that a Tampa federal prosecutor sent to Fox News.

It appears the criminal investigation into the computer hacks at the cable news network is related to leaked unaired video of Tucker Carlson’s show.

https://twitter.com/GrammyC4Zone/status/1662159871070830605

Tucker Carlson, Fox News hacks tied to FBI search of Tampa council member’s homehttps://t.co/dYTi2VXAbI

— Tampa Bay Times (@TB_Times) May 26, 2023

The Tampa Bay Times reported:

The letter does not mention Burke, but the Times confirmed with two people close to the investigation that the matter relates to the May 8 search at his Seminole Heights home.

The Times contacted Burke on Thursday evening and read him parts of the letter. Burke said that he would have to ask his lawyer if he could make a statement in response. Friday morning, he said he couldn’t comment. Hurtak previously said in a statement that the search appeared to be solely related to her husband’s work as a journalist.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Jay Trezevant wrote the letter asking that Fox News preserve information and records related to the investigation for a period of at least 90 days. The government views the network “as one of the potential victim-witnesses” of the alleged criminal conduct, Trezevant wrote.

The investigation, according to the letter, concerns allegations of unauthorized computer access; interception of wire, oral or electronic communication; conspiracy; and other federal crimes. Trezevant is assigned to the criminal probe and is listed on court filings related to the search at Burke and Hurtak’s home.