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Sen. Chuck Grassley claimed that former special counsel Jack Smith and his team obtained communications from reporters at over a dozen media outlets and financial information from thousands of Americans during their investigation into former President Trump. This included text messages from journalists and lawmakers, as well as bank account details and home addresses of Republican donors who contributed to Trump’s political campaigns between September 2019 and August 2023. Grassley argued that Smith’s actions may have violated the Constitution's Speech and Debate Clause, while Smith maintained his decisions were impartial.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-09-29,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) alleged that Jack Smith’s team, during their "Arctic Frost" probe leading to Donald Trump's indictment, obtained communications from reporters of more than a dozen national news outlets and financial information from 4,782 Americans who donated to Trump’s campaigns between September 2019 and August 2023. The subpoena issued in June 2023 sought text messages from phones used by officials in the first Trump administration, inadvertently gathering communications from journalists covering those officials. Grassley claimed Smith's team also reviewed bank account numbers and home addresses of Republican donors. Republicans argue that these actions may have violated the Constitution’s Speech and Debate Clause, but Smith denied this during a hearing.
Written for “Smiths Investigation Methods” on 2026-10-05,
grounded in this article and the 1 other(s) covering the same event.
Former special counsel Jack Smith and his investigators obtained communications from reporters for more than a dozen media outlets and financial information from thousands of Americans as part of their “Arctic Frost” probe that resulted in the indictment of President Trump, Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) claimed Tuesday.
asserted
Grassley → obtain → Trump
The outlets affected include Fox News, CNN, CBS News, NBC News, CNBC, the Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, Bloomberg, the Los Angeles Times and New York Magazine.
asserted
outlets → affect → News
The Federalist, the Washington Times, the Associated Press, Reuters, National Public Radio, conservative radio host Mark Levin’s syndicated program, and the Media Research Center were also targeted.
asserted
Federalist → syndicate → ?
Smith’s office issued a subpoena in June 2023 for text messages from the phones of officials who served in the first Trump administration, which swept up the communications of the journalists, according to Grassley.
uncertain
which → issue → Grassley
At least 87 White House phone numbers were listed in the subpoena request, though it’s unclear what time period was covered.
uncertain
period → list → request
In addition to journalists, Smith’s office also seized messages between Trump White House officials and 44 lawmakers from both parties between October 2020 and Jan. 20, 2021.
asserted
office → seize → October
Grassley and other Republicans have alleged that Smith’s moves to obtain the communications may have run afoul of the Constitution’s Speech and Debate Clause — an allegation that Smith rejected in Tuesday’s hearing.
uncertain
Smith → allege → hearing
The ex-special counsel has previously testified he couldn’t “recall” whether he sought the content of text messages from lawmakers and wasn’t asked about reporter communications Tuesday.
asserted
he → testify → communications
Grassley and Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) had demanded the records from the National Archives in May after learning that Smith’s prosecutors received digital communications and had to put a so-called “filter” team in place to review which materials were legally privileged.
uncertain
materials → demand → place
Other whistleblower disclosures made public by Grassley during Tuesday’s hearing showed that at least 4,782 checks written by Americans to fund Trump’s political campaigns between September 2019 and August 2023 were also obtained by Smith’s team.
The bank account numbers and home addresses of the Republican donors were all reviewed by the prosecutors.
asserted
numbers → make → prosecutors
In his opening statement Tuesday, Grassley claimed that Smith “undermined the rule of law and threatened our very political institutions” with his investigation into Trump that resulted in a four-count indictment for allegedly illegally attempting to overturn the 2020 election.
uncertain
that → claim → election
“I stand by my decisions as special counsel, including my decision to bring charges against President Trump,” Smith insisted during his opening statement.
asserted
Smith → stand → statement
“I made these decisions without regard to President Trump’s political association, activities, beliefs, or candidacy in the 2024 presidential election.”
asserted
I → make → election
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