FBI targeted over 160 Republicans as part of Biden-era Arctic Frost probe: House Judiciary

The House Judiciary Committee revealed on Tuesday that the Department of Justice under former President Joe Biden targeted over 160 Republicans for potential investigation as part of the Arctic Frost probe. 

The committee said that Arctic Frost investigators "requested $16,600 to travel to conduct more than 40 interviews" for the investigation. The Arctic Frost probe began under then-FBI Director Christopher Wray, and was later picked up by then-special counsel Jack Smith. 

"45 individuals including, Steve Bannon, Scott Perry, Rudolph Giuliani, Jeffrey Clark, John Eastman, and Mark Meadows were potentially under investigation," the committee stated. "Another 111 individuals including Peter Navarro, Dan Scavino, Jeff Rosen, and Ed Martin were also potentially under investigation."

One September 2022 email, citing an unnamed source, stated that Conservative Partnership Institute (CPI) President Ed Corrigan "is pro-Putin and anti-Biden," and that the source believes Corrigan "and his boss Mark Meadows are engaging in willful criminal activity." The email added, "Corrigan secretly controls the freedom caucus and has plans that are not good for the FBI. Corrigan hates the FBI, who he refers to as spooks."

Part of the nearly 200 pages released by the committee was a declassified October 2020 "Tactical Intelligence Report that claimed "Trump Campaign Funds Layered through Clearinghouse Firm Likely Misused by Campaign Digital Director." Another document included was titled "Subpoena_Counsel_Matrix," which listed dozens of GOP-linked activists, government employees, campaign staffers, and more, and their alleged links to events during the 2020 election. 

Trump wrote in response to the revelation, "These thugs should all be investigated and put in prison. A disgrace to humanity. Deranged Jack Smith is a criminal!!!" 

Senator Chuck Grassley revealed earlier in October that the FBI had conducted surveillance on Republican lawmakers as part of Arctic Frost. The FBI document, dated September 27, 2023, lists agents conducting “preliminary toll analysis” on the phone records of GOP lawmakers Mike Kelly, Lindsey Graham, Bill Hagerty, Josh Hawley, Dan Sullivan, Tommy Tuberville, Ron Johnson, Cynthia Lummis, and Marsha Blackburn.