Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) has released a Justice Department memorandum from April 2022 showing that then-Attorney General Merrick Garland, Deputy AG Lisa Monaco, and FBI Director Christopher Wray personally approved an FBI investigation targeting associates of Donald Trump’s 2020 presidential campaign.
The memo — titled “Arctic Frost” — authorized the FBI’s Washington Field Office to open a Sensitive Investigative Matter into whether Trump campaign members conspired to obstruct Congress’s certification of the Electoral College results from the 2020 election.
Grassley posted the four-page document on X (formerly Twitter), saying it proves the Biden-era DOJ and FBI “personally approved” the investigation, calling it an example of “unchecked government power at the highest levels.”
“My oversight will continue,” Grassley wrote, pledging more scrutiny of DOJ decision-making.
According to the memo published by Grassley’s office, the FBI claimed that “fraudulent certificates of electors’ votes” were submitted from Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, and Wisconsin — actions it said could amount to a federal crime. Because the case was deemed sensitive, DOJ policy required sign-off from both the AG and FBI Director.
Lisa Monaco added the handwritten note, “Merrick – I recommend you approve,” before both she and Garland signed the authorization on April 5, 2022.
Background and Florida Angle
The memo’s release comes amid intensifying skepticism among conservatives about political bias inside federal law enforcement — a topic that resonates strongly in Florida, where Gov. Ron DeSantis and state lawmakers have repeatedly accused the Biden administration of “weaponizing” the DOJ for political purposes.
Grassley’s disclosure also predates Special Counsel Jack Smith’s appointment and reveals how early the Justice Department began probing the Trump campaign. Smith later subpoenaed phone metadata from several Republican lawmakers — including Senators Marsha Blackburn, Josh Hawley, and Lindsey Graham — as part of the same election-related investigation.
For Florida readers, the memo underscores ongoing concerns about transparency and due process at the federal level — especially as Washington’s investigative actions continue to shape the national political environment heading into 2026.
Key Takeaways
- Top DOJ and FBI officials personally approved the 2022 investigation known as “Arctic Frost.”
- Grassley says the memo reveals “unchecked government power” within the Biden administration.
- The probe focused on alleged efforts by Trump associates to influence Congress’s 2020 certification.
- Florida leaders see the memo as another example of federal overreach and political targeting.
- The release could fuel further oversight hearings and state-level resolutions defending investigative neutrality.
The full story was first reported by Fox News Digital.
