Impeachment Articles Filed Against Judge James Boasberg
Rep. Brandon Gill (R-Texas) is set to officially file articles of impeachment against U.S. District Judge James Boasberg for his involvement in the so-called “Arctic Frost” investigation.
Republicans have criticized Boasberg, particularly after it was revealed that he approved subpoenas and other actions in former special counsel Jack Smith’s probe. In a statement to Fox News Digital, Gill said, “Chief Judge Boasberg has violated judicial impartiality and created a constitutional crisis, shamelessly weaponizing his power against political opponents, including Republican members of Congress who faithfully serve the American people in their jurisdictions.”
He further accused Boasberg of being complicit in the “egregious Arctic Frost scandal,” which allegedly involved the Biden Justice Department spying on Republican senators. He stated, “His lack of integrity clearly makes him unworthy of the gavel. I am proud to reintroduce articles of impeachment against Judge Boasberg to hold him accountable for his high crimes and misdemeanors.”
Gill’s resolution specifically charges Boasberg with abuse of power, as documented in materials obtained by Fox News Digital. It claims that Boasberg failed to fulfill his constitutional duties, allowing Special Counsel John L. Smith to issue what were described as frivolous confidentiality orders in connection with the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Arctic Frost project.
These orders reportedly targeted Congress members acting within their legislative roles, as protected by the U.S. Constitution.
Recently, redacted documents related to the Arctic Frost investigation were made public by Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa). These records included subpoenas for phone records from ten senators and one representative, alongside gag orders against Verizon and AT&T to stop them from alerting the lawmakers about these subpoenas. Verizon complied, whereas AT&T did not.
The subpoenas and gag orders were signed by Boasberg, drawing renewed backlash from Republicans. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) labeled the investigation as “worse than Watergate,” suggesting a dangerous overreach of prosecutorial authority.
While federal judges have discretion in approving such orders under the Preservation of Communications Act, it’s not an automatic process. A lot of the details around this investigation remain classified, making it hard to understand the context of what Boasberg reviewed before allowing access to the senators’ records.
Some lawmakers cited by the subpoenas have contended that this move might violate the Constitution’s Speech and Debate Clause, which is designed to shield members from legal actions regarding their legislative activities. Yet, these protections have limits, and the debate about separation of powers continues.
This isn’t the first time Judge Boasberg has faced criticism from Trump and his allies. Earlier this year, he was threatened with impeachment after he issued an order halting President Trump’s deportation flights to El Salvador. Despite these threats, Gill and others eventually decided against pursuing an impeachment resolution after House Republican leadership indicated it may not be the most impactful course of action.
