Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley announced Tuesday that Department of Justice records indicate former Special Counsel Jack Smith's investigative team reviewed the contents of text messages belonging to 44 members of Congress, contradicting Smith's previous sworn testimony that investigators did not examine the content of congressional text messages.

Grassley made the announcement on July 14, saying he was among the lawmakers whose messages were reviewed during the investigation, as reported by The Gateway Pundit.

The Iowa Republican also said he plans to release the records with Sen. Ron Johnson so the public can review the documentation.

Earlier reports indicated that Smith had obtained congressional "toll records," commonly described as call logs, as part of his investigation.

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Grassley now says newly obtained DOJ records show investigators went beyond obtaining metadata and examined the contents of text messages.

"I received records frm DOJ confirming Jack Smith's investigative team reviewed the contents of text msgs sent by 44 MEMBERS OF CONGRESS Im 1 of the 44," Grassley wrote on X.

He added, "I'm alerting my colleagues who were impacted and will release the records w Sen Johnson so American ppl can see the evidence."

I received records frm DOJ confirming Jack Smith's investigative team reviewed the contents of text msgs sent by 44 MEMBERS OF CONGRESS Im 1 of the 44

Im alerting my colleagues who were impacted and will release the records w Sen Johnson so American ppl can see the evidence— Chuck Grassley (@ChuckGrassley) July 14, 2026

According to Grassley, the records identify 44 members of Congress whose communications were reviewed during the investigation. Grassley's office released a list of the lawmakers he says were affected.

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The allegations stem from the Justice Department's investigation known as "Operation Arctic Frost."

According to documents released earlier this year, the FBI and DOJ conducted the investigation after questions surrounding the 2020 Trump alternate electors.

Grassley said the investigation began in April 2022 and included the seizure of government-issued cell phones belonging to President Donald Trump and former Vice President Mike Pence.

Investigators also conducted interviews across the country as part of the probe.

The senator sharply criticized the investigation and the methods used by prosecutors and investigators.

"Jack Smith's criminal investigation of President Trump was a runaway train that had no brakes," Grassley said Tuesday.

He also accused investigators of exceeding the scope of the investigation by reviewing communications involving lawmakers who were not the focus of the probe.

"Based on the information that's been produced to me and Senator Johnson, Biden DOJ and FBI investigators apparently ignored their own routine investigative protocols to obtain and review work-related messages from me and dozens of my Republican and Democrat colleagues who were outside the scope of the government's investigation," Grassley said.

Grassley called on lawmakers from both parties to take the allegations seriously.

"I hope my Democrat colleagues, several of whom had their own texts swept up, finally put partisanship aside and recognize the severity of these actions. Smith's team ran roughshod over the Constitution even after repeated warnings," Grassley added.

The Judiciary Committee chairman also said he intends to question Smith publicly.

"Jack Smith has answering to do, and I intend to have him before the Senate Judiciary Committee in the coming months to hold him accountable," Grassley said.

Grassley's announcement also focused on testimony Smith gave during a deposition last December, when members of Congress questioned him under oath about the Arctic Frost investigation.

According to Grassley, Smith denied that investigators had obtained or reviewed the contents of lawmakers' communications.

A congressional investigator asked Smith, "Did the toll records that you requested from the Senators – did they include the content of the phone calls?"

Smith responded, "No."

The investigator then asked, "Did the records that you requested – the toll records from the members of Congress include the content of text messages?"

Smith again answered, "No."

Grassley now contends that DOJ records contradict those sworn statements.

He said the records he plans to release with Johnson will provide evidence supporting his allegations that investigators reviewed congressional text messages despite Smith's testimony denying that they did so.

The allegations add to ongoing scrutiny surrounding Operation Arctic Frost and the Justice Department's investigative practices. Grassley indicated he intends to pursue additional oversight through the Senate Judiciary Committee as more records become public.

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