Senator Ashley Moody (R-Fla.) joined Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations Chairman Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), along with 15 bicameral colleagues, in demanding the Department of Justice (DOJ) and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) immediately release all records related to the “Arctic Frost” investigation that secretly obtained phone data from sitting Members of Congress.
The coalition of lawmakers, all Republicans, addressed a letter to Attorney General Pam Bondi and FBI Director Kash Patel, arguing that the unprecedented nature of the collection warrants full transparency, even if the records are subject to federal grand jury secrecy rules.
Call Logs Targeted During ‘Arctic Frost’
The request follows an October 6, 2025, briefing by FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino, who informed senators that the FBI’s Washington Field Office possessed call logs for at least nine Members of Congress (MOC). This data collection occurred between January 4 and January 7, 2021, as part of the “Arctic Frost” investigation, which later transitioned into Special Counsel Jack Smith’s elector case concerning the 2020 election.
The letter includes a list of the targeted lawmakers, which consists of:
- Senators: Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.), Josh Hawley (R-Mo.), Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.), Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska), Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.), and Ron Johnson (R-Wis.).
- Representative: Mike Kelly (R-Pa.).
Constitutional Concerns Cited
The lawmakers assert that the collection of sitting members’ communication records raises “serious constitutional concerns” and constitutes a “blatant weaponization of the federal government.”
“Given that these materials relate to an unprecedented collection of records and information on sitting [Members of Congress] and raise serious constitutional concerns, Congress’ need for these records clearly outweighs any interest in secrecy,” the lawmakers wrote. “Further, the unprecedented nature of the DOJ’s and FBI’s actions in collecting [Members of Congress’] communication records falls squarely within Congress’ constitutional duty to thoroughly investigate potential abuses of power and creates a uniquely exceptional circumstance that demands the release of otherwise protected records.”
The Senators demanded the DOJ “immediately seek judicial authorization” to release the requested records, arguing that Congress’s oversight duty trumps the secrecy requirements of Federal Rule of Criminal Procedure 6(e).
Detailed Record Request
The letter requests all unredacted records referring or relating to the collection of the MOC’s call logs as part of the “Arctic Frost” investigation. Specifically, the lawmakers are demanding:
- Internal and External Communications: Records between DOJ and FBI personnel, as well as communications with the Biden White House, Special Counsel Jack Smith’s office, other federal/state/local entities, and cell phone carrier companies regarding the call logs, which MOCs to target, and the legal processes used to obtain the data.
- Investigative Details: Any toll analysis conducted on the call logs and copies of the subpoenas served to the carrier companies.
- Indirectly Affected MOCs: A complete list of all Members of Congress who were indirectly affected by the collection because they placed or received calls in communication with the directly targeted members.
In addition to Senator Moody, Grassley, and Johnson, the letter was signed by Senators John Cornyn (R-Texas), Mike Lee (R-Utah), Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), John Kennedy (R-La.), Eric Schmitt (R-Mo.), and Katie Britt (R-Ala.).
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