A provision in the funding bill to end the government shutdown would allow the Republican lawmakers targeted by Jack Smith’s “Arctic Frost” investigation to receive up to $500,000 in compensation if they take legal action against the government.
During the investigation into efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election, 10 Republican lawmakers had their phone records seized by the former special counsel.
The provision, included in the bill by Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD), rewards the senators with a payout for damages, plus attorneys’ fees, for each time Smith retained the call logs.
As stated in the provision, phone carriers would also be required to immediately notify the senators and their congressional offices if their communications are sought, unless they are under a criminal investigation.
Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX), one of the lawmakers targeted by the investigation, confirmed that the language was included in the bill by Thune in an attempt to seek justice from the Department of Justice.
“Leader Thune inserted that in the bill to provide real teeth to the prohibition on the Department of Justice targeting senators,” Cruz told Politico.
“The abuse of power from the Biden Justice Department is the worst single instance of politicization our country has ever seen,” Cruz added. “I think it is [former President] Joe Biden’s Watergate, and the statutory prohibition needs to have real teeth and real consequences.”
‘BIDEN’S WATERGATE’: JACK SMITH SOUGHT 197 SUBPOENAS IN ARCTIC FROST INVESTIGATION
During the investigation, the former special counsel sent subpoenas to 34 individuals and 163 businesses in addition to the lawmakers. The subpoenas demanded testimony, communications, and records related to at least 430 named Republican individuals and entities targeted by the inquiry.
The bill, which includes Thune’s provision, passed the Senate on Sunday after eight Democrats voted alongside their Republican colleagues. It is headed to the House for a final vote before it reaches the president’s desk.