Republicans allege the investigation into the 2020 election was weaponization of the justice department.
WASHINGTON, DC - MARCH 24: Chairman Sen. Ted Cruz speaks during a Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Federal Courts, Oversight, Agency Action, and Federal Rights hearing examining the Arctic Frost investigation on Capitol Hill on March 24, 2026 in Washington, DC.
Arctic Frost was an investigation opened by the Federal Bureau of Investigation looking into President Trump's attempt to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election. Newly released records from Republicans on the Senate Judiciary Committee show that the investigation into efforts to overturn the 2020 election targeted more private data of Republicans than previously known, including records connected to current FBI Director Kash Patel from when he was a private citizen. Republicans compared the scope of the investigation, known as Arctic Frost, to the Watergate scandal of the 1970s, when President Richard Nixon’s campaign attempted to spy on the Democratic National Committee and a cover-up ultimately led to Nixon’s impeachment and resignation. Republicans compared the scope of the investigation, known as Arctic Frost, to the Watergate scandal of the 1970s, when President Richard Nixon’s campaign attempted to spy on the Democratic National Committee and a cover-up ultimately led to Nixon’s impeachment and resignation. “Watergate was carried out in secret. Arctic Frost was fully authorized, formalized, and executed through the official powers of the United States government carried out by partisan Democrats," Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, said during his opening statement at the hearing. Arctic Frost was an investigation spearheaded by special counsel Jack Smith into efforts to overturn the 2020 election. It was part of multiple investigations from the special counsel's office that led to indictments for President Donald Trump. Arctic Frost involved hundreds of subpoenas for Republican groups and members of Congress seeking tolling data — records on phone calls and text messages — though the data does not include the content of calls or messages. The newly released Judiciary Committee records show Smith sought extensive records for Patel from October 2020 to February 2023, spanning the period when Patel was part of the previous Trump administration and later when he was a private citizen.“Arctic Frost was ultimately an attempt to sway the results of a Presidential election," said Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah. Republicans pointed to Smith’s investigations and coordination with then-Attorney General Merrick Garland as evidence they say shows weaponization of President Joe Biden’s Justice Department. Smith has previously defended his work, including during House testimony earlier this year. Democrats have backed Smith and his office's work as being by the book. “If you ask anyone with law enforcement experience to react to news that the FBI may have sought these toll records, the response is simple: of course they did. Virtually every investigation involves subpoenas of toll records," Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, D-Rhode Island, said during the hearing.Separately, two former FBI agents allege they were fired from the bureau last year solely because they were involved in the Arctic Frost investigation. They filed a lawsuit last week seeking reinstatement and a ruling that the terminations were unlawful.Investigators said forensic DNA evidence collected during the case identified Ruiz as the perpetrator.The fiscal officer has been removed from office after a judge found he violated state law by attempting to invest public funds in gold coins.The City of Columbus is investing more than $17 million into summer youth programming, but not all community organizations made the cut to receive part of the fOhio State President Ravi V. Bellamkonda has selected longtime John Glenn College of Public Affairs Dean Trevor Brown to serve as the university’s interim execu
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