Former Special Counsel Jack Smith is defending his decision to subpoena the private phone records of multiple Republican lawmakers during his 2023 “investigation” into President Donald Trump, insisting the move was “entirely proper” and consistent with Justice Department policy.
In a letter sent to Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-IA) on Tuesday, Smith’s attorneys claimed the records were “narrowly tailored” and “carefully targeted” as part of the FBI’s “Arctic Frost” probe into what prosecutors alleged was Trump’s effort to overturn the 2020 election.
“As described by various Senators, the toll data collection was narrowly tailored and limited to the four days from January 4, 2021, to January 7, 2021,” Smith’s lawyers wrote.