Former President Joe Biden’s FBI looked into many conservative groups, like the late Charlie Kirk’s Turning Point USA, as part of a large investigation called “Arctic Frost.”
Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA) told the Senate Judiciary Committee on Tuesday that operation “Arctic Frost” had become bigger and that whistleblowers had come forward with additional information.
Grassley noted that the operation, which was first set up to look into the campaign to overturn the 2020 election, had grown to include many conservative groups, the Republican National Committee, and others.
He also said that at least one FBI agent had been very happy when they found out that Trump aide Peter Navarro had been charged with contempt of Congress.
“Arctic Frost was the FBI case opened and approved by anti-Trump FBI agent [Timothy] Thibault. Arctic Frost then became Jack Smith’s elector case against citizen Trump, and now President Trump. These new records show that Arctic Frost was much broader than just an electoral matter,” Grassley said.
“The case was expanded to Republican organizations. Some examples of the group[s] that [Christopher] Wray’s FBI sought to place under political investigation included the Republican National Committee, Republican Attorney General’s Association [sic], and various Trump political groups. In total, 92 Republican targets, including Republican groups and Republican-linked individuals, were placed under investigative scope of Arctic Frost. On that political list was one of Charlie Kirk’s groups, Turning Point USA. In other words, Arctic Frost wasn’t just a case to politically investigate Trump,” Grassley added.
“It was the vehicle by which partisan FBI agents and Department of Justice prosecutors could achieve their partisan ends and improperly investigate the entire Republican political apparatus. So, today, Senator Johnson [of Wisconsin] and I are making these records public for the entire country to see. And I hope a lot of people are interested in seeing what government can do when various agencies have a political agenda. My investigative work has also exposed the political way in which Peter Navarro was investigated and prosecuted. When FBI agent Thibault found out that Biden’s DOJ would prosecute Navarro, he said — ‘Wow, great.’ That’s a quote,” Grassley added.
The existence of “Arctic Frost” had been revealed in January, prompting the Senate to investigate.
WATCH:
FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino said Monday he believes Tyler Robinson, the accused killer of Charlie Kirk, may have been “aided and abetted” by an “extended network,” citing “multiple warning signs” Robinson allegedly displayed before the assassination.
As reported by The Post on Sunday, investigators are already examining whether pro-trans online groups, members of the sexualized animal-themed “furry” community, and other associates of Robinson had advance knowledge of his plans.
Bongino told Fox News’ “America’s Newsroom” host Bill Hemmer that agents are “looking into” whether the tragic murder of Kirk — a 31-year-old conservative icon, married dad of two and the co-founder of Turning Point USA — was “part of a larger effort” that may have involved other people who were providing even financial help, or “someone who knew the specifics of it and failed to report that.”
“We’ll also be dropping a lot of paper, a lot of subpoenas out there, to take a look to see if there was any extended network,” Bongino added.
Utah Gov. Spencer Cox said Friday that Tyler Robinson had been “deeply indoctrinated with leftist ideology,” though he was not registered with any political party. Authorities have also said Robinson “didn’t like” Charlie Kirk or his “viewpoints.”
According to The Post, Robinson lived with a boyfriend who is transitioning from male to female.
FBI Director Kash Patel told Fox on Monday that Robinson “had a text message exchange with another individual in which he claimed that he had an opportunity to take out Charlie Kirk — and he was going to do it because of his hatred for what Charlie stood for.”