WASHINGTON — The FBI analyzed the personal cellphone data of nine congressional Republicans as part of its probe into the Jan. 6 riot, GOP senators said Monday.
Senate Judiciary Committee Chair Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, shared a one-page, unclassified document that he said shows that the cellphone “tolling data” of Republican lawmakers was sought and obtained in 2023 as part of the FBI’s “Arctic Frost” investigation — a precursor of special counsel Jack Smith’s investigation into efforts by President Donald Trump and his allies to overturn the 2020 election results.
Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., who chairs the Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, said the data focused on calls made in the days around the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol, adding that “no content” was retrieved but rather “who was called and time, date and time and length call.”
The document says an FBI special agent, whose name is redacted, conducted the analysis for nine GOP lawmakers: Johnson and Sens. Lindsey Graham, of South Carolina; Bill Hagerty, of Tennessee; Josh Hawley, of Missouri; Dan Sullivan, of Alaska; Tommy Tuberville, of Alabama; Cynthia Lummis, of Wyoming; and Marsha Blackburn, of Tennessee; and Rep. Mike Kelly of Pennsylvania.
Speaking to reporters, Grassley alleged that the records violated the privacy of the Republican lawmakers. He also warned that there could be consequences for people involved.
“If heads don’t roll in this town, nothing changes,” Grassley said. He did not say he would bring Smith or other people before the Senate Judiciary Committee to testify, adding that the panel does not plan to conduct any kind of oversight into the case but will instead rely on the FBI.
Smith’s investigation ended after Trump won the 2024 election. He resigned from the Justice Department in January shortly before Trump took office.
FBI Director Kash Patel said Monday night that “abuse of power ends now.”
“Under my leadership, the FBI will deliver truth and accountability, and never again be weaponized against the American people,” Patel wrote on X.
NBC News has reported that several FBI agents who worked on cases related to Jan. 6 were fired shortly after Trump returned to office this year. Three former top officials sued Patel and Attorney General Pam Bondi last month over their dismissals. The FBI declined to comment on the lawsuit, and the Justice Department did not respond to a request for comment at the time.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., said he had “grave concerns” about the cellphone revelation.
“I fully support Senate committees getting to the bottom of this outrageous abuse of power and weaponization of the government,” Thune wrote on X.
