Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., has stated that special counsel Jack Smith’s office unlawfully spied on her and 43 other members of Congress, accessing their private text messages without proper legal process. Stefanik, a member of the House Intelligence Committee and the Select Committee on Weaponization, asserted that newly declassified records confirmed these actions, which she characterized as an unconstitutional operation dubbed "Arctic Frost."
According to Stefanik, Smith’s team illegally accessed the content of these text messages concerning legislative and constitutional duties. She further alleged that Smith perjured himself when questioned under oath by House members about whether he had surveilled the contents of these messages, stating that he had not. Making false statements to Congress is a federal crime punishable by up to five years in prison.
Stefanik contends that this surveillance operation was part of an "illegal witch hunt" targeting former President Donald Trump, his political allies, and his voters. She drew parallels to past investigations and actions, including the Biden administration’s alleged collusion with Big Tech to censor Americans, the FBI’s targeting of traditional Catholics and parents at school board meetings, the Russia collusion hoax, and what she described as "lawfare" against Trump and his allies.
This revelation, Stefanik stated, led her to advocate for a provision in the Intelligence Authorization Act that requires Congress to be notified of any counter-intelligence investigation into a federal candidate or elected official. She believes that accessing the private communications of lawmakers represents an assault on the separation of powers, congressional independence, and the constitutional rights of all Americans.
Stefanik called for criminal consequences for those responsible for the alleged abuse of power, advocating for swift prosecution and the enactment of reforms to prevent future administrations from using government tools against elected representatives or citizens. She described the situation as an example of the "weaponized muck" within the federal government that needs to be addressed to "drain the swamp."