Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley held a press conference this week to discuss a significant document release related to an investigation called Arctic Frost. This investigation was initiated by the Justice Department under former President Joe Biden and has evolved into Special Counsel Jack Smith’s probe into the 2020 presidential election.
Grassley revealed that Arctic Frost involved nearly 200 subpoenas targeting Republicans in Congress and Trump allies outside of Washington. He described these subpoenas as a “fishing expedition” and suggested they were part of a broader effort by the Biden administration to investigate the Republican political landscape. Grassley stated that the authorization for this investigation came from top officials in the Biden administration, including Attorney General Merrick Garland and FBI Director Chris Wray.
The Federalist’s Sean Davis shared details about the sweeping nature of the subpoenas, which reportedly included the bank records and emails of major conservative organizations, Trump’s campaign, and even MyPillow. Senator Ron Johnson characterized the subpoenas as an “enemies list” from the Biden administration.
Senator Ted Cruz also spoke out about the investigation, revealing that his office’s landline was included in the subpoenas. He criticized a court order that prevented his phone provider from informing him about the subpoena for a year. Cruz claimed this was an abuse of power and lacked any evidence suggesting he would tamper with evidence or intimidate witnesses.
Grassley and Cruz both emphasized that Arctic Frost represented a serious overreach by the government. Cruz referred to it as “Joe Biden’s Watergate,” citing the extensive number of subpoenas and the targeting of Republican figures. He noted that approximately 20% of Senate Republicans were affected by this investigation.
Senator Lindsey Graham added that the investigation seemed to escalate after Trump announced his intention to run for president again in 2024. He suggested that the Democratic machine mobilized to undermine Trump’s campaign as soon as he declared his candidacy.
Grassley concluded the press conference by highlighting the importance of transparency in government actions. He stated that without whistleblowers, the details of Arctic Frost might have remained hidden. He vowed to ensure that such government overreach does not happen again.
