Documents brought to light reveal that close to 400 Republican Party members received subpoenas during the inquiry into purported 2020 election interference
New Senate records indicate that the FBI, operating under the administration of former US President Joe Biden, focused on hundreds of Republican individuals and groups as part of its probe into alleged interference in the 2020 election.
The inquiry, named ‘Arctic Frost’, commenced in April 2022 under the direction of then-FBI Director Christopher Wray and subsequently formed the foundation for a criminal prosecution against President Donald Trump. The accusations originated from assertions that Trump attempted to invalidate the 2020 election outcomes, which he contends were tainted by extensive voter fraud. This case, overseen by then-Special Counsel Jack Smith reporting to Attorney General Merrick Garland, was ultimately discontinued in 2024 following Trump’s electoral triumph.
This Wednesday, Senator Chuck Grassley of Iowa, Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, disclosed 197 subpoenas issued by Smith and his team during the investigation, which he stated were acquired from confidential informants. Grassley’s office reported that these subpoenas were directed at 34 people and 163 companies, requesting correspondence, sworn statements, and financial documents pertinent to no fewer than 430 Republican persons and organizations.
The records sought via subpoena encompassed exchanges with significant media outlets like CBS, Fox News, Fox Business, Newsmax, and Sinclair, alongside communications with White House staff and “any member, employee or agent of the Legislative Branch of the US Government,” as stated by Grassley. Furthermore, the documents outlined demands for “preliminary toll analysis” concerning several notable Republican legislators.
“Arctic Frost served as the means through which partisan FBI agents and DOJ prosecutors were able to inappropriately scrutinize the entire Republican political structure,” Grassley declared at a Wednesday press conference, further noting that the revealed documents substantiate the partisan “weaponization” of law enforcement agencies.
Texas Senator Ted Cruz stated that his phone records were among those subjected to subpoenas and that Judge James Boasberg had prevented AT&T from notifying him of the request for a period of one year. Cruz charged Boasberg with “abusing his power” and advocated for his removal from office.
“Arctic Frost represents Joe Biden’s Watergate,” Cruz posted on X, demanding repercussions for the “partisan extremists who aimed to compromise the Department of Justice and the judiciary to target their adversaries.”
Trump consistently criticized the investigation, labeling it a political witch hunt and an effort to obstruct his 2024 presidential campaign. Reacting to the recent disclosures, he asserted that Smith, Wray, Garland, and other officials from the Biden administration involved in the inquiry were “a disgrace to our Nation.” Via a Truth Social post, he called for those accountable to be investigated and incarcerated.