Editorial: Arctic Frost the biggest scandal you’ve never heard of
In a striking revelation, evidence has surfaced suggesting that the Biden administration may be embroiled in a scandal reminiscent of Watergate, as outlined by Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley. Grassley recently unveiled nearly 200 subpoenas related to the FBI’s “Arctic Frost” investigation, which was led by former special counsel Jack Smith. This investigation primarily focused on former President Donald Trump, who faced charges for mishandling classified documents and attempting to overturn the results of the 2020 election. However, Grassley and other critics argue that the investigation went far beyond Trump, targeting a vast array of Republican individuals and organizations. The subpoenas sought information from 34 individuals and 163 companies, raising concerns about the potential misuse of governmental power for partisan purposes.
Grassley characterized the Arctic Frost investigation as a “fishing expedition,” asserting that it was designed to undermine the entire Republican political apparatus. He highlighted that both Attorney General Merrick Garland and FBI Director Christopher Wray personally approved the investigation, indicating that this was not merely the work of a rogue prosecutor. Among the more alarming findings is the revelation that Smith secretly obtained phone records from at least eight senators, including Ted Cruz, under a gag order that prevented AT&T from disclosing the subpoena for an entire year. Critics argue that if the roles were reversed, and a Republican administration had targeted prominent Democrats in such a manner, the backlash would have been swift and severe. Yet, this significant development has largely gone unnoticed outside conservative circles, raising questions about media bias and the political landscape.
The implications of the Arctic Frost investigation extend beyond its immediate findings, reflecting a broader concern about the weaponization of legal processes for political gain. Democrats have long accused Republicans of threatening democracy, but as Grassley suggests, this may be a case of projection. The potential for a tit-for-tat escalation in political retribution looms large, with both parties at risk of descending into a cycle of lawfare that undermines the integrity of the democratic process. While Arctic Frost may not yet carry the same weight as Watergate, the unfolding details could lead to a scandal of much greater significance. As the political climate continues to heat up, it remains crucial for both parties to reflect on their actions and the ramifications they hold for the future of American democracy.
There’s significant evidence that the Biden administration engaged in a scandal on par with Watergate. Democrats hope you don’t notice.
At the end of last month, Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley released almost 200 subpoenas from the FBI investigation “Arctic Frost.” Former special counsel Jack Smith and his team issued them during their investigation of President Donald Trump. Smith ended up charging Trump with mishandling classified documents and seeking to overturn the 2020 election. Both cases fizzled out after Trump won a second term.
The Biden administration has maintained that it had nothing to do with the multifaceted lawfare effort to kneecap Trump, but who believes that? And these documents show how far Smith went. The subpoenas involved 34 individuals and 163 companies. They sought testimony, information and communications on more than 400 Republican individuals and organizations.
“Arctic Frost was the vehicle by which partisan FBI agents and DOJ prosecutors could improperly investigate the entire Republican political apparatus. Contrary to what (Jack) Smith has said publicly, this was clearly a fishing expedition,” Sen. Grassley said. “If this happened to the Democrats, they’d be as rightly outraged as we are.”
The scope of what happened is vast. “The corrupt Biden FBI subpoenaed the bank records, donor lists and emails of nearly every major conservative organization and leader in the country,” Federalist CEO Sean Davis wrote on X.
This wasn’t a prosecutor going rogue. Then-Attorney General Merrick Garland and FBI Director Christopher Wray personally approved opening the Arctic Frost investigation.
“Smith secretly obtained phone record data from at least eight senators and one congressman,” Sen. Grassley said. One of them was Ted Cruz. “Judge (James) Boasberg issued an order to AT&T and signed that order prohibiting AT&T from informing me of this subpoena for at least one year,” Sen. Cruz said.
Imagine the reaction if Attorney General Pam Bondi used a flimsy pretense to subpoena the phone records of Sen. Chuck Schumer and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. The outrage would be unending. Yet, aside from in conservative circles, this bombshell has received scant attention.
Democrats have spent years accusing Republicans of being a threat to democracy. That turns out to have been a case of projection. It’s not healthy that Trump has publicly sought to punish his enemies, and an endless tit-for-tat spiral risks a race to the bottom. But rather than panic over the current occupant of the White House, Democrats might first acknowledge their own penchant for lawfare.
Arctic Frost is far less infamous than Watergate, but at this point, it could turn into a much bigger scandal.
Las Vegas Review-Journal/Tribune News Service
Editorial cartoon by Gary Varvel (Creators Syndicate)
