Sen. Kennedy Outraged by Allegations of Surveillance by Jack Smith
On Tuesday, Republican Senator John Kennedy of Louisiana expressed his frustration regarding claims that former special counsel Jack Smith was monitoring the communications of several Republican senators.
While Kennedy was reportedly not among those directly affected, it has been reported that Smith was overseeing calls and private messages from senators such as Josh Hawley from Missouri, Lindsey Graham from South Carolina, and Tommy Tuberville from Alabama, as part of his investigation into President Donald Trump’s efforts to dispute the 2020 presidential election results. Kennedy shared his concerns on Fox Business’s “The Bottom Line,” stating that he found the allegations alarming and sought further clarity.
“When I first heard this story, I thought it was a joke. I really believed it was just some TikTok nonsense. I’m still in disbelief. This is a serious issue,” Kennedy remarked. “This special prosecutor managed to acquire the phone records of eight sitting U.S. senators, and the telephone company just handed that information over.”
He continued, “We don’t know what justified this action. Why did the FBI, the Justice Department, and Smith feel the need to obtain these records? It’s only because of whistleblowers that we even learned about this. I’m honestly shocked. I thought Smith was more astute than this. There are certainly smarter stones in my driveway.”
Kennedy has called for another hearing that should involve testimonies from Smith, former Attorney General Merrick Garland, and former FBI Director Christopher Wray.
“If I were in Smith’s shoes, I might hesitate to answer questions, considering the gravity of the situation,” he stated. “This is something that shouldn’t happen in a country like ours.”
He mentioned that the investigations by the FBI and the DOJ regarding these allegations are underway. If legal actions are pursued, the Senate Judiciary Committee may need to reconsider how they proceed.
“We are committed to uncovering the truth. I have spoken with all eight senators involved,” Kennedy noted, adding that this might lead to civil lawsuits against telecom companies that complied with the subpoenas.
“I’m not saying they should prosecute anyone specifically. My message is simply to follow the law. I want to know why Jack Smith felt the need to examine the phone records of eight current US senators,” he stated.
This surveillance reportedly formed part of the Arctic Frost investigation, focusing on calls about challenging the certification of the 2020 electoral vote.
FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino commented on the issue, stating, “It’s unfortunate that we have to make it clear: the FBI was previously used to monitor the private communications of lawmakers for political reasons. That time has passed.”
Additionally, Iowa Senator Charles Grassley shared documents from the FBI that allegedly identified senators who were targeted. Grassley asserted, “The weaponization of the Biden FBI is worse than the Watergate scandal.”
