Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley on Wednesday released records from an FBI-DOJ investigation code-named Arctic Frost, including 197 subpoenas. The Biden-era probe, which Grassley says later fed Special Counsel Jack Smith’s election case, sought information related to more than 400 Republican-aligned people and entities. Republican critics, including Sens. Ted Cruz and Lindsey Graham, likened the effort to a political enemies list and compared it to Watergate.
Grassley said the newly posted materials include 197 subpoenas issued to 34 individuals and 163 businesses, seeking testimony and records tied to at least 430 Republican individuals or organizations. He unveiled the documents at a Capitol press conference, framing the probe as overbroad and partisan. According to Grassley’s office, Arctic Frost began as an FBI case during the Biden administration and later informed Special Counsel Jack Smith’s 2020 election investigation. (grassley.senate.gov)
Grassley also released a document he says shows then–Attorney General Merrick Garland, Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco, and FBI Director Christopher Wray personally authorizing the opening of Arctic Frost in April 2022. The New York Post separately reported that their signatures appear on the approval memo; the Justice Department has not publicly commented on the disclosure. (nypost.com)
Scope of targets: Grassley’s team says the subpoenas referenced communications and financial data involving Republican officials, donors, media contacts and advocacy groups. He and other GOP senators contend the records sweep extended well beyond Trump’s circle. In earlier committee updates, Grassley said investigators obtained phone “tolling” data for nine Republican members of Congress as part of Arctic Frost, including several GOP senators. (judiciary.senate.gov)
Ted Cruz episode: Cruz said a court order authorized the seizure of his phone metadata and barred his carrier from notifying him for at least a year. The Post reported that Verizon produced records for certain lawmakers and that AT&T did not provide similar data for Cruz; a nondisclosure order was signed by Chief U.S. District Judge James E. Boasberg. Cruz called the order an abuse of power. (nypost.com)
What was sought: Commentator Sean Davis of The Federalist posted that subpoenas sought bank records, donor lists and emails from numerous conservative organizations, naming entities such as Donald Trump’s campaign, the Republican National Committee, the Conservative Partnership Institute, Save America PAC, the America First Policy Institute and MyPillow. Those specifics come from Davis’s account of the records, not from the Justice Department. (dailywire.com)
How it connects to Jack Smith: Grassley and other Republicans argue Arctic Frost provided investigative groundwork for Smith’s 2020 election case. Committee releases describe Arctic Frost as “forming the basis” of Smith’s elector investigation; Smith’s office has not weighed in on Grassley’s characterization. (judiciary.senate.gov)
Republican reaction: At the event and in subsequent statements, Cruz labeled Arctic Frost “Joe Biden’s Watergate” and claimed there were “197 subpoenas for 430 Republican entities and individuals.” Graham argued the probe escalated after Trump’s 2024 campaign announcement, portraying it as an effort to stop his comeback. Sen. Ron Johnson called the subpoena activity “nothing short of a Biden administration enemies list.” Those are the lawmakers’ characterizations; independent confirmation of motive has not been produced by DOJ. (dailywire.com)
Legal debate: Davis also asserted that the gag order described by Cruz violated 2 U.S.C. § 6628, a statute addressing notice and privilege protections for Senate data held by providers serving Senate offices. Whether Boasberg’s order conflicts with that statute is disputed and has not been adjudicated in this matter. (law.cornell.edu)
What remains unclear: The released records and senators’ accounts provide a detailed look at what was requested and from whom, but the DOJ’s full rationale, internal legal analyses and investigative results have not been fully published. Grassley says more disclosures may follow as oversight continues. (grassley.senate.gov)
