Grassley Releases Memo on FBI Investigation into Trump Campaign
Senator Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) disclosed an April 2022 memo from the Justice Department revealing that high-ranking officials, including then-Attorney General Merrick Garland, Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco, and then-FBI Director Christopher Wray, sanctioned an investigation into claims that members of Donald Trump’s campaign aimed to disrupt the Congressional certification of the 2020 election.
Grassley shared a four-page memo on social media, asserting that senior officials in the Biden administration had “personally approved” what he referred to as “Arctic Frost,” which he considered an instance of “unchecked government power unleashed at the highest levels.”
The Iowa Republican emphasized his commitment to ongoing oversight in the matter.
The 2022 memo authorized the FBI’s Washington field office to begin investigating individuals connected to the Trump campaign regarding allegations of conspiracy to hinder Congress’ certification of the electors on January 6, 2021.
The memo notes that following the presidential elections, fraudulent electoral vote certificates were submitted, misrepresenting the actual votes from states like Arizona, Georgia, and others, which seemingly aimed to interfere with Congress’ electoral certification. This prompted the FBI to consider the possibility of federal crimes and led to a more extensive investigation.
One section of the document indicated that approval from officials was needed for the FBI to proceed, especially since it involved sensitive investigative matters.
Monaco’s concluding remarks in the memo included a recommendation for Garland’s approval, which he granted on the same day.
This investigation started over a year after the January 6 events and a few months before former special counsel Jack Smith took charge of related inquiries. The memo appears to shed light on the initial phases of the Justice Department’s exploration into “fake voter” actions central to Smith’s findings.
In 2023, Smith subpoenaed the phone records of several Republican senators to analyze communications around the Capitol riot. However, the subpoena focused on identifying numbers, dates, and call lengths, rather than specific content.
Among those targeted were Senators Marsha Blackburn, Josh Hawley, and Lindsey Graham.
Senator Ted Cruz mentioned that Smith also tried to procure his call records, although it was revealed that his phone service provider had not complied.
Smith defended the appropriateness of the records request, emphasizing it was meant to clarify Trump’s alleged attempts to overturn the election results.
Grassley’s attorney stated that the subpoena was standard procedure under Department of Justice guidelines. While Republicans have raised concerns about potential surveillance, likening the situation to Watergate, Smith’s team insisted that public officials are not exempt from scrutiny.
Additionally, Smith’s lawyers refuted claims that the subpoena was concealed, highlighting that it was referenced in a footnote in his final report and previously communicated during the discovery process to Trump’s defense team.
