A nonpartisan government watchdog is calling for a federal investigation into Massachusetts Congressman and U.S. Senate candidate Seth Moulton after he was caught on camera allegedly hitting the phone out of a person’s hand who had asked him if he would endorse controversial Maine U.S. Senate candidate Graham Platner.

The Center to Advance Security in America, or CASA, sent a letter to U.S. Attorney Leah Foley requesting her office investigate the sitting congressman for the physical attack on the still unnamed person, citing potential violations of state and federal law.

“We write to respectfully request that the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts initiate an investigation into potential violations of federal and/or state criminal laws by Seth Moulton, a member of the United States House of Representatives, for his recent physical attack on a political reporter with an opposing viewpoint while entering his campaign office,” CASA Director James Fitzpatrick wrote in a letter to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, dated June 25.

“Here, a full investigation into Representative Moulton’s intention, motivation, and desired outcome of his conduct against this political reporter is warranted. Moulton’s aggression should be called out for what it is — political violence. Based solely on a routine question regarding candidate endorsement, and with the political reporter not moving toward Moulton but instead Moulton moving toward the reporter, Moulton became “pisse(d)” and struck at least the reporter’s phone,” he said.

Moulton was caught on camera Wednesday allegedly hitting the phone out of an unknown person’s hands as he was arriving at a campaign event, and while he faces an uphill battle in unseating incumbent Sen. Ed Markey in the September primary.

“Congressman Moulton, do you endorse Graham Platner? Do you endorse Graham Platner in Maine?” the man holding the cell phone camera asked Moulton as he walked up the stairs of an unknown location.

“What? Who are you and why are you asking this question?” Moulton responded before striking the phone out of the unnamed reporter’s hand. “You should do a better job at hanging onto your phone.”

The video, which features a Fox News Digital watermark, was posted to X Wednesday by Fox News Political Editor Cameron Cawthorne, did not include an exact location or the specific event Moulton was attending.

Under 18 U.S.C. 245(b)(1)(B), it is a federal crime to use physical force or the threat of the use of physical force to interfere with one’s exercise of free speech and debate – both federally protected actions.

Massachusetts law makes it a crime to commit a harmful or unwanted touching with the intent of causing harm or unwanted touching with the intent of intimidating the victim. State law also makes it a crime to willfully and maliciously destroy someone’s property.

CASA says Moulton’s behavior is “unbecoming of a United States Senator and of his current role as a member of the House.”

“President Trump has instructed his administration to investigate and, if appropriate, prosecute political violence. U.S. Attorneys across the country have answered the President’s call by issuing indictments for conduct analogous to Moulton’s,” Fitzpatrick continued. “Rogue Members of Congress are not above the law—especially not for acts as egregiously dangerous to the rule of law as violence against a political reporter.”

The Moulton campaign claimed the unnamed reporter is with the political action committee America Rising, which conducts opposition research on Democratic candidates.

“It’s not surprising that Fox is too scared to invite Seth back on their shows, but they’re happy to pay a MAGA tracker with America Rising to harass him at multiple events across Massachusetts,” Moulton campaign Communications Director Taylor Hebble told the Herald in a written statement. “Seth takes on MAGA anywhere, anytime, and won’t back down. If this tracker can’t handle a reality check or hold onto his own equipment, that’s on him.”

A spokesperson for FOX News tells the Herald that the Moulton campaign’s claims are untrue.

“FOX News has never paid a tracker to attend an event,” the spokesperson told the Herald in a written statement.

CASA equates the Moulton campaign’s statement on X to nearly an admission of guilt by publicly expressing on social media the political motivation behind the attack.

“Moulton’s near-immediate comments on X evince all the intent needed to warrant an investigation. Moulton feels rage at those with opposing political ideas, believes it is his place to give them “reality checks,” and righteously administers those “check(s)” via self-professed and self-admitted physical political violence,” added Fitzpatrick.

Moulton has recently participated in the first-ever interparty primary debate with Republican candidate John Deaton and has several upcoming debates scheduled against Markey.

Moulton will take on Deaton in November if he beats Markey to win the party nomination in September.

The Herald has reached out to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for comment.

Moulton’s campaign has declined comment.

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