Newly released documents from the House Judiciary Committee reveal the Department of Justice’s “Arctic Frost” investigation into 2020 election efforts was broader than initially known, involving more than 100 individuals connected to former President Donald Trump.
The probe, launched in April 2022, examined efforts surrounding alternate electors in the 2020 presidential election. It included the seizure of government-issued cell phones from former President Trump and former Vice President Mike Pence, along with a series of interviews conducted across the country.
According to the documents, federal investigators coordinated across multiple FBI field offices and sought travel funding to conduct more than 40 interviews. The list of individuals referenced in the investigation includes Stephen Bannon, Rudy Giuliani, Mark Meadows, Jeffrey Clark, Scott Perry, John Eastman, and Peter Navarro, among others.
In total, the committee said that 45 figures were initially identified as potential investigative subjects, with an additional 111 individuals flagged for possible examination.
The Republican-led House Judiciary Committee characterized the investigation as far-reaching, pointing out its scope and funding requests.
Earlier this year, Senators Chuck Grassley and Ron Johnson released related records that they said demonstrated how the inquiry served as groundwork for Special Counsel Jack Smith’s case involving Trump. They also asserted that the investigation involved monitoring communications of several Republican lawmakers.
Documents referenced by the committee state that investigations involving presidential candidates or senior campaign staff require written approval from top DOJ leadership, including the Attorney General, and emphasize caution to avoid impacting election processes.
The records additionally indicate that Special Counsel Jack Smith reviewed private call records belonging to eight Republican Senators during the inquiry.
The list of those monitored was published as part of the committee’s release.