A newly released FBI document has triggered a major controversy in Washington, with senior Republicans accusing the Biden administration of using federal law enforcement to target political opponents.
The memo, made public by Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA), outlines how the FBI conducted toll-record analysis on multiple Republican senators as part of its “Arctic Frost” investigation—a probe that eventually became Special Counsel Jack Smith’s “elector” case involving President Donald Trump.
Grassley released the document on Monday morning, calling it evidence that the FBI “spied” on sitting senators without proper cause or authorization.
The one-page memo, dated September 27, 2023, is labeled “UNCLASSIFIED//FOUO” (For Official Use Only) and titled “CAST Assistance.”
According to the contents, the Washington Field Office approved a “preliminary toll analysis”—a review of call and text metadata—on several phone numbers tied to prominent members of the U.S. Senate.
The senators identified in the memo are Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Bill Hagerty (R-TN), Josh Hawley (R-MO), Dan Sullivan (R-AK), Tommy Tuberville (R-AL), Ron Johnson (R-WI), Cynthia Lummis (R-WY) and Marsha Blackburn (R-TN).
Grassley said the document shows a pattern of surveillance against elected officials based on political affiliation, connecting it directly to the Justice Department’s broader investigations into Trump and his allies.
“This document shows the Biden FBI spied on 8 of my Republican Senate colleagues during its Arctic Frost investigation,” Grassley wrote on X.
“Arctic Frost later became Jack Smith’s elector case against Trump.”
He added that whistleblowers within the Bureau helped expose the memo and bring it to public attention.
During a joint press appearance, Sen. Ron Johnson (R-WI) described the FBI’s actions as “a fishing expedition” that lacked a legitimate investigative predicate.
“We were given a briefing to try and convince us that the Hunter Biden laptop was no big deal,” Johnson said, referring to previous interactions with FBI officials.
“This is major corruption that’s being revealed inside the Obama and Biden Department of Justice and the FBI.”
The Arctic Frost investigation, which first came to light in 2023, was initially described by Justice Department officials as an “election law” probe focusing on alternate or “fake electors” following the 2020 presidential election.
However, according to Grassley and Johnson, the investigation broadened quietly to include not only Trump campaign figures but also sitting members of Congress and several Republican organizations.
“We wouldn’t know about the list of 100 Republican entities that were targeted if not for whistleblowers,” Johnson said.
He claimed that the FBI’s actions extended beyond campaign staff to touch legislative officials and conservative advocacy groups, Trending Politics highlighted.
Sen. Bill Hagerty (R-TN) echoed the outrage, calling the revelation “extraordinary.”
“None of us were targets of this investigation,” Hagerty said.
“There’s no predicate. There’s no reason for this other than a fishing expedition, which should outrage and shock every American.”
He added that such activity undermines confidence in impartial justice and called for immediate oversight.
The timing of the memo is also drawing scrutiny.
Dated late September 2023, it was issued just weeks after Special Counsel Jack Smith announced new charges against Donald Trump and more than a year after the FBI’s search of Trump’s Mar-a-Lago residence.
“This is almost two months later, and they’re casting this net against members of the Senate and the House,” Johnson said. “This is outrageous.”
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