Blackburn Critiques Judge for Subpoenas Against GOP Senators

Senator Marsha Blackburn from Tennessee has referred to D.C. District Court Chief Judge James Boasberg as an “activist judge.” This comment stems from claims that Boasberg approved FBI subpoenas targeting Republican colleagues during the Biden administration’s investigation.

Boasberg, who was appointed by Obama and has a history of ruling against Donald Trump’s policies, signed a subpoena for Texas Senator Ted Cruz’s private communications. This action took place during former special counsel Jack Smith’s “Arctic Frost” investigation into the contested 2020 election results, as announced by Cruz at a press conference recently. Blackburn expressed her concerns to the Daily Caller News Foundation, suggesting that the oversight under Boasberg might be even more pervasive and could signify a grave breach of the rule of law.

Cruz also weighed in on the matter, implying that the judge might be issuing these subpoenas with little regard. “It’s as if he printed these documents like they were Denny’s placemats,” Cruz remarked.

“It appears we have activist judges stepping in to authorize these subpoenas,” Blackburn noted. She further remarked that the situation displayed a troubling trend, indicating that former Attorney General Merrick Garland allowed Smith to initiate “Arctic Frost” and then sought out a judge willing to facilitate the subpoena process.

The related gag order from Boasberg stated that Blackburn could neither call nor receive information about the surveillance from her carrier. Blackburn reiterated Cruz’s sentiments, highlighting the instruction that indicated potential risks related to information being destroyed or individuals fleeing.

On October 6, documents released by the Senate revealed that Smith’s team had monitored the personal communications of Cruz, Blackburn, and several other Republican senators during the “Arctic Frost” investigation. The FBI has not yet commented on requests for information regarding this matter.

While Cruz mentioned that there haven’t been subpoenas issued for other senators, he speculated that Boasberg might have been quite liberal with these documents, as he brandished a piece of paper he alleged was Boasberg’s gag order.

Boasberg has faced previous calls for impeachment from Republican members, including Trump, over issues like immigration policies. Cruz echoed similar concerns during the recent revelations about the “Arctic Frost” investigation. Additionally, Attorney General Pam Bondi filed a misconduct complaint in July, accusing Boasberg of bias against the Trump administration.

Blackburn, in her discussion with the Daily Caller News Foundation, argued that endorsing Biden administration actions in this way amounts to using the judiciary as a weapon against political adversaries. “The allies of justice seem to be wearing blinders,” she stated, adding that there should be a standard of justice that ensures everyone receives equal treatment.