Overview
- In a letter to House and Senate Judiciary chairs, Smith asked for open hearings and sought Justice Department assurances on non-retaliation, guidance on grand jury secrecy, authorization to discuss the unreleased Volume II of his report, and access to Special Counsel files.
- Sen. Chuck Grassley released an April 2022 memo showing Merrick Garland, Lisa Monaco and Christopher Wray approved opening the Arctic Frost Sensitive Investigative Matter.
- Smith’s lawyers defended grand jury subpoenas for lawmakers’ toll records as narrowly tailored to January 4–7, 2021 and distinct from wiretapping, describing the step as consistent with DOJ policy.
- Republicans escalated oversight with new document demands and threatened lawsuits; Sen. Marsha Blackburn said she will sue over the phone-record subpoenas, and Grassley sought details of Smith’s meetings with DOJ, FBI and the White House.
- President Trump called for prosecutions of Smith and senior Biden officials in a social media post, as the Trump cases Smith brought were dismissed or dropped after Trump’s election under DOJ policy and court guidance.