WASHINGTON — Eighteen Republicans on Thursday demanded the release of FBI records compiled during the Biden administration’s Arctic Frost investigation — after nine were recently informed by bureau officials that agents had surreptitiously obtained their call logs from 2021, The Post can reveal.
The GOP lawmakers asked for all the Arctic Frost communications involving the FBI, Department of Justice, members of former President Joe Biden’s White House and ex-special counsel Jack Smith’s office, according to a letter led by Sens. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and Ron Johnson (R-Wis.).
Smith received the materials — including the so-called “toll analysis,” or phone metadata from the members of Congress that could show who they called or texted — for what would later become his 2020 election meddling prosecution of President Trump.
FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino told eight Republican senators and one House GOP member that the Washington Field Office got their call logs from between Jan. 4 and 7, 2021, and that the information was “subject to federal grand jury secrecy requirements,” per the letter.
Grassley, Johnson and the 16 other Republicans are now asking what legal processes were abided by, whether there were further “wiretaps, seizure warrants, or surveillance” that none were aware of, and any subpoenas that were given to cell phone carriers.
They also want to know which other contacts may have been caught up in the FBI dragnet.
Thursday’s missive, co-signed by those nine Republicans and every GOP member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, declared: “The Biden administration’s blatant weaponization of the federal government should shock every American.
“Further, the unprecedented nature of the DOJ’s and FBI’s actions in collecting MOC’s [members of Congress’] communication records falls squarely within Congress’ constitutional duty to thoroughly investigate potential abuses of power and creates a uniquely exceptional circumstance that demands the release of otherwise protected records,” they added.
“We expect both DOJ and FBI to take the necessary steps to provide complete transparency to Congress so that the Biden administration’s targeting of sitting elected officials is thoroughly investigated and all wrongdoers are held fully accountable.”
Grassley, who released the September 2023 espionage files from the FBI on Monday, called the disclosures “arguably worse than Watergate.”
“What I’ve uncovered today is disturbing and outrageous political conduct by the Biden FBI,” the Iowa Republican said in a statement. “The FBI’s actions were an unconstitutional breach, and Attorney General [Pam] Bondi and [FBI] Director [Kash] Patel need to hold accountable those involved in this serious wrongdoing.”
Grassley also put out documents showing 92 GOP-connected groups or people — including late conservative Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk — were targeted in the FBI probe as well.
Trump and former Vice President Mike Pence also had their phone data obtained, other FBI whistleblowers have alleged.
And on Sept. 30, three days before the members learned of the FBI’s records’ seizure, The Post revealed that Rep. Scott Perry (R-Pa.) had been quietly surveilled by bureau agents at his congressional office in Washington, DC, and his Pennsylvania residence — before having his phone taken.
Those records were also part of Arctic Frost, which began in April 2022 but was taken up by Smith later that same year.
Charges were then brought in August 2024 against the former Republican president for attempts to reverse Biden’s victory after the election.
The nine senators targeted were Johnson, Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.), Josh Hawley (R-Mo.), Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska), Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.), Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.) and Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.).
Rep. Mike Kelly (R-Pa.) was the lone House lawmaker.
“We recently uncovered proof that phone records of U.S. lawmakers were seized for political purposes,” Patel said in a statement on Monday. “That abuse of power ends now. Under my leadership, the FBI will deliver truth and accountability, and never again be weaponized against the American people.”
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