Senate Republicans have accused former Special Counsel Jack Smith's team of improperly collecting text messages from nearly 50 members of Congress during the investigation into former President Donald Trump. Senators Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, and Ron Johnson, R-Wis., released findings Tuesday alleging that Smith's probe, codenamed Operation Arctic Frost, bypassed a required review process, which they claim constitutes an abuse of power and a potential constitutional violation.
According to Grassley and Johnson, the records obtained from the Trump Justice Department indicate that Smith's team circumvented its own filter review process. This process is designed to determine the relevance of collected documents and protect attorney-client privilege. Senator Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., one of the lawmakers whose texts were reportedly obtained, stated that the review of her messages, along with those of 43 other members of Congress, was an "unlawful and unconstitutional" action in clear violation of the Constitution's Speech & Debate Clause, which protects lawmakers from being questioned about legislative acts.
Grassley characterized Smith's investigation as a "runaway train" that had "no brakes." He further alleged that the Biden Department of Justice and FBI investigators ignored their own protocols to obtain and review work-related messages from members of Congress who were outside the scope of the government's investigation. Johnson described the situation as a "grotesque example" of the "weaponization" of the executive branch during the Biden administration.
The collected text messages reportedly include those from both Republican and Democratic members of Congress. Among those mentioned as having their texts swept up are Rep. Josh Gottheimer, D-N.J., Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., Rep. Adam Smith of Washington, and current Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass. Republican lawmakers also affected include Sens. Mike Lee, R-Utah, Josh Hawley, R-Mo., Rand Paul, R-Ky., and former Sens. Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn., and Lindsey Graham, R-S.C. Other notable figures cited are former House Intelligence Chairman Devin Nunes, R-Calif., House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, and Rep. Scott Perry, R-Pa.
Senator Josh Hawley called for "everyone involved [to] be prosecuted" for what he termed illegal phone tapping and illegal acquisition of texts with members of the Trump administration. Senator Rand Paul described the allegations as a "blatant abuse of power and exactly what our Founders warned about," referencing a prior instance where Smith reportedly denied under oath that his requests to Congress included text messages.
Grassley indicated plans to recall Smith before Congress to "hold him accountable" and expressed hope that Democratic lawmakers caught in the sweep would recognize the severity of the alleged violations. A representative for Jack Smith was reportedly contacted for comment by Fox News.