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EXCLUSIVE: Sen. Bill Hagerty is demanding answers from Verizon as to why the company allegedly turned over his private cellphone data to the FBI without notifying him after revelations that former Special Counsel Jack Smith was allegedly tracking his and other Republican lawmakers’ phone communications surrounding their Jan. 6, 2021, investigation.
Fox News Digital first reported Monday that Smith and his “Arctic Frost” team investigating the Jan. 6 Capitol breach allegedly monitored the phone calls of Hagerty and fellow GOP senators Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, Cynthia Lummis of Wyoming, Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee, Ron Johnson of Wisconsin, Josh Hawley of Missouri, Dan Sullivan of Alaska, Tommy Tuberville of Alabama and GOP Rep. Mike Kelly of Pennsylvania.
Fox News Digital exclusively obtained an FBI document stating the names of the lawmakers and that an FBI special agent on Smith’s team “conducted preliminary toll analysis” on the toll records associated with them.
JACK SMITH TRACKED PRIVATE COMMUNICATIONS, CALLS OF NEARLY A DOZEN GOP SENATORS DURING J6 PROBE, FBI SAYS
An FBI official told Fox News Digital Smith and his team were able to view which phone numbers the senators called, along with the location each call originated and where it was received.
Fox News Digital exclusively obtained a letter Hagerty, R-Tenn., sent to Verizon.
“This week, I received shocking news: without my consent and without my knowledge, the Federal Bureau of Investigation obtained confidential information concerning my cell phone use,” Hagerty wrote. “Despite extensive public reporting of this extraordinary intrusion into my privacy — also amounting to an unprecedented intrusion on the separation of powers — I have received no communication or outreach from Verizon Communications Inc., which could have been the only source of this information.”
Hagerty demanded Verizon provide him with details of when it disclosed private information about his cellphone use, and why the company did not advise him.
GOP SENATOR DEMANDS FBI REVEAL IF SURVEILLANCE WENT BEYOND JACK SMITH’S PHONE TRACKING
Hagerty also demanded Verizon answer whether the company received a subpoena, a request or a demand from the federal government seeking the information, along with details of all the information the company provided.
Hagerty also wants to know “all efforts that Verizon took to oppose, or limit its responses to, the subpoena, request, or demand” for his private communications.
Hagerty demanded the company respond by the end of the day Friday.
Hagerty also wants Verizon to provide all communications, documents, recordings or records received from the federal government in connection with the matter.
In a statement Friday to Fox News Digital in response to Hagerty’s letter, Verizon spokesman Rich Young said, “Federal law requires companies like Verizon to respond to grand jury subpoenas.
“We received a valid subpoena and a court order to keep it confidential,” Young told Fox News Digital. “We weren’t told why the information was requested or what the investigation was about.
“As required, we provided the requested customer information and call records.”
“Arctic Frost” was opened inside the bureau April 13, 2022. Smith was appointed as special counsel to take over the probe in November 2022.
An FBI official told Fox News Digital that “Arctic Frost” is a “prohibited case” and that the review required officials to go “above and beyond in order to deliver on this promise of transparency.” The discovery is part of a broader, ongoing review.
Meanwhile, the FBI has terminated employees and disbanded the CR-15 squad. FBI Director Kash Patel announced the actions were taken in response to the revelation of the “baseless monitoring” of U.S. lawmakers.
“We are cleaning up a diseased temple three decades in the making — identifying the rot, removing those who weaponized law enforcement for political purposes and those who do not meet the standards of this mission while restoring integrity to the FBI. I promised reform, and I intend to deliver it,” Patel said in a statement to Fox News Digital.
Patel also posted about it on X, saying, “Transparency is important, and accountability is critical. We promised both, and this is what promises kept looks like… We terminated employees, we abolished the weaponized CR-15 squad, and we initiated an ongoing investigation with more accountability measures ahead.”
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