Subpoena for Jim Jordan’s Phone Records Uncovered
In 2022, the Justice Department sought personal phone records from House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan, requesting over two years of data from the Ohio Republican.
A subpoena obtained indicates that federal prosecutors involved in Special Counsel Jack Smith’s January 6 investigation ordered Verizon to provide call logs dating back to January 1, 2020. This appears to be one of the most comprehensive publicly known subpoenas directed at senators and congressional members during the ongoing Arctic Frost investigation, which ultimately resulted in election-related charges against former President Donald Trump.
FBI agents have also revealed that they targeted the private phone records of then-House Speaker Kevin McCarthy during Smith’s investigation.
Interestingly, Smith commenced his role as special prosecutor seven months after this subpoena was issued, suggesting that the request came before his tenure at the Justice Department.
The subpoena for Jordan’s records seems to be one of the initial findings from the Arctic Frost investigation, issued when Jordan was the leading Republican on the Judiciary Committee responsible for overseeing the Justice Department. While the call records did not capture the contents of Jordan’s calls or messages, they provided detailed information on when calls were made, received, and with whom he was communicating. Additionally, the subpoena included requests for records from three other phone numbers, although those details were redacted, including a one-year gag order imposed by a DC magistrate judge.
In response to the subpoena, Verizon produced documents for the Justice Department, according to sources familiar with the situation.
Verizon stated that it is actively collaborating with both the House and Senate Judiciary Committees to provide information regarding the subpoenas involving congressional members. A spokesperson expressed the company’s commitment to transparency, emphasizing that they found new information about Chairman Jordan and shared it with him promptly. They also mentioned an intention to restore trust through this transparency and continued cooperation with Congress and the Administration as these issues are evaluated and considered for reform.
