Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., issued subpoenas Tuesday to AT&T, Verizon, and Lumen seeking records that identify targets of Special Counsel Jack Smith's "Arctic Frost" investigation into President Donald Trump.
Johnson, the chairman of the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, said the subpoenas are part of an ongoing effort to obtain information about Smith's attempts to acquire phone records from Americans, including members of Congress.
Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, joined Johnson on the cover letter sent to the three telecommunications companies.
According to the press release, the subpoenas are intended to ensure the companies provide "full and complete responses" to the chairmen's requests for information about the investigation and related phone-record demands.
"Over the last year, Chairman Grassley and I identified hundreds of individuals and entities that Jack Smith swept into his massive partisan dragnet, including Charlie Kirk's Turning Point USA and elected officials," Johnson said in a statement.
"In response to these subpoenas, I expect the telecom companies to identify even more people Jack Smith ruthlessly targeted as he weaponized the federal justice system against law-abiding patriots," Johnson said.
The subpoenas come as Johnson and Grassley continue oversight of what they characterize as efforts by the Biden administration to undermine Trump and his allies.
Johnson and Grassley said they previously revealed that the Federal Bureau of Investigation subpoenaed phone records belonging to at least 13 members of Congress.
The chairmen also cited whistleblower disclosures they said showed more than 400 Republican organizations and individuals were targeted as part of "Arctic Frost."
The press release did not specify the time period the requested records cover, the categories of documents sought beyond identifying targets, or when the telecommunications companies must respond.
Smith, who was appointed special counsel in 2022, led federal investigations involving Trump. Johnson and Grassley have repeatedly criticized Smith's work, arguing it reflects political bias.
The telecommunications companies have until Feb. 3 to provide records to the Senate committees.
The subpoenas mark the latest escalation in congressional scrutiny of federal investigative tactics and the use of subpoenas for phone and communications data, an issue that has drawn bipartisan attention in recent years.
Johnson and Grassley said their oversight is focused on protecting Americans' privacy and preventing what they described as abuse of federal power.
The press release did not include comment from Smith's office, the Department of Justice, or the telecommunications companies.
Solange Reyner ✉
Solange Reyner is a writer and editor for Newsmax. She has more than 15 years in the journalism industry reporting and covering news, sports and politics.
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