A group of Senate Republicans led by Missouri Sen. Eric Schmitt has formally called for the administrative suspension of Chief Judge James Boasberg of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia as the House of Representatives deliberates on whether to proceed with impeachment proceedings.
In a letter dated Monday and addressed to D.C. Circuit Chief Judge Sri Srinivasan, Sens. Schmitt, Mike Lee (R-UT), Tommy Tuberville (R-AL), Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Kevin Cramer (R-ND) and Bill Hagerty (R-TN) requested that Boasberg be sidelined during the impeachment process.
The senators cited diminished confidence in the judiciary stemming from Boasberg’s handling of matters pertaining to the FBI’s acquisition of lawmakers’ phone records and other Trump-related legal activities.
They asked for Boasberg’s administrative suspension until the House and, if relevant, the Senate complete impeachment proceedings, which would require a two-thirds Senate vote for removal.
Central to the senators’ request is the recent lodging of impeachment articles by Rep. Brandon Gill (R-TX) on Nov. 4, which was previously covered by Resist the Mainstream.
These articles allege that Boasberg improperly authorized nondisclosure orders directed at major cellular and technology companies—including AT&T, Verizon, Apple and Meta—during the FBI’s “Arctic Frost” investigation conducted under the Biden administration.
Whistleblowers and documents obtained by Iowa Sen. Chuck Grassley (R) led to the revelation that at least 13 members of Congress were subject to subpoenas issued as part of investigative efforts preceding two federal indictments against President Donald Trump, according to the Washington Examiner.
The senators’ letter refers to claims that Boasberg allowed then-special counsel Jack Smith to issue nondisclosure orders described as “frivolous,” which allegedly prevented lawmakers and others from being informed that their communication records had been obtained.
The letter points out that a similar judicial view was shared by Srinivasan’s court in In re: Sealed Case, which overturned Boasberg’s decision to grant government-requested nondisclosure orders against X Corp.
The letter further identifies “Arctic Frost” as only one of several concerns.
It notes a Supreme Court decision in Trump v. J.G.G. that determined Boasberg “lacked jurisdiction” in a case regarding the deportation of Venezuelan gang members and mentions a misconduct complaint from the summer alleging Boasberg introduced “unsolicited discussion” at a Judicial Conference meeting about potential administration disregard for federal court rulings.
The letter maintains that these matters together constitute a “pattern” meriting immediate action during impeachment proceedings.
The group of senators requested information from Srinivasan on the status of a formal judicial misconduct complaint filed on July 28 by the Department of Justice under 28 U.S.C. § 351.
They emphasized the statutory obligations for the chief judge to act swiftly under § 352, suggesting that a special committee investigation under § 353 may have already been required due to a lack of any public order.
The letter requests a detailed update, including communications, records, and explanations concerning the complaint’s status, and explicitly inquires why Boasberg has not already faced administrative suspension and removal from the Circuit Judicial Council.
The letter points to precedent involving other federal judges, citing the administrative suspension of former Louisiana federal judge G. Thomas Porteous during an impeachment inquiry as an example.
It states that the chief circuit judge holds oversight over the Article III judicial remedial process and must maintain transparency regarding actions taken in response to the formal misconduct complaint against Boasberg.
The request for suspension follows the latest disclosures from the FBI’s “Arctic Frost” investigation, which involved 197 subpoenas and over 430 Republican figures and entities.
The letter concludes by calling for a comprehensive and transparent response from the circuit chief judge while the impeachment process against Boasberg continues.
As the House weighs whether to move forward with impeachment, the senators argue that swift, transparent action from the D.C. Circuit is essential to preserving public trust.
Their request places significant pressure on Chief Judge Srinivasan to address the growing concerns surrounding Boasberg’s conduct and the unresolved misconduct complaint.
With Republicans insisting the integrity of the judiciary is at stake, the coming weeks will determine whether the chief judge takes the unprecedented step of suspending a sitting federal judge while Congress considers impeachment—setting up a potential constitutional showdown that could reshape oversight of the federal bench.
