Federal lawmakers are looking into Maryland State Police surveillance of protest groups.

Mississippi Congressman Bennie Thompson is the chairman of the House committee that oversees the Department of Homeland Security. He has sent a letter to the department asking it to reveal what it knows about Maryland State Police surveillance of war protesters and death-penalty opponents.

The letter also asks the department for information about any federal homeland security funds that go to the Maryland State Police.
Documents detailing the surveillance activities in 2005 and 2006 were released last week, after a lawsuit by the American Civil Liberties Union.

Thompson believes the surveillance was politically motivated. His letter calls the surveillance of peaceful groups with no ties to terrorism "a deplorable use of taxpayer funds."

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