Sen. Rick Scott (R-FL) said Thursday he was secretly targeted in a Biden-era Justice Department investigation tied to the Jan. 6 Capitol riot, calling the effort a “witch hunt” aimed at undermining Republicans in Congress and President Donald Trump.
Scott said he learned of the subpoena only this week from Sen. Ron Johnson (R-WI), who is probing what Republicans describe as DOJ “weaponization” under former President Joe Biden. The inquiry was part of the FBI’s Arctic Frost investigation supporting special counsel Jack Smith’s prosecution of Trump for allegedly attempting to overturn the 2020 election.
I was just informed by Senator Ron Johnson that I was targeted in the Arctic Frost witch hunt by Biden’s DOJ. Let’s be very clear: this was a targeted attack to dismantle the Republican Party, destroy me and other elected members of Congress, and take down President Trump. This…
— Rick Scott (@SenRickScott) October 30, 2025
“I was just informed by Senator Ron Johnson that I was targeted in the Arctic Frost witch hunt by Biden’s DOJ,” Scott wrote on X. “This was a targeted attack to dismantle the Republican Party, destroy me and other elected members of Congress, and take down President Trump. This is a complete weaponization of government and unconstitutional abuse of power by the corrupt Biden administration.”
The Florida Republican, who voted against certifying Pennsylvania’s electoral votes after the Jan. 6 riot, had not previously been named among the lawmakers whose phone data were seized. A one-page FBI record revealed earlier this month showed nine GOP lawmakers were targeted, but Scott wasn’t listed at the time.
Newly released documents shared with Fox News show Verizon complied with subpoenas from Smith’s office seeking toll records tied to Scott and other senators, while AT&T pushed back. Letters to Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-IA) show Verizon deemed the requests “facially valid,” though it has since changed its policy for congressional accounts. AT&T told Grassley it refused to turn over phone data after raising legal concerns with prosecutors, prompting Smith’s team to drop that portion of the request.
Both subpoenas included yearlong gag orders signed by U.S. District Judge James Boasberg in Washington that prevented the phone carriers from notifying lawmakers their data had been accessed. The requests sought the phone numbers’ subscriber information and call detail records for a four-day window surrounding the Capitol attack, but not the content of calls or messages.
Senate Republicans have been increasingly outspoken as more details emerge. Grassley publicized 197 subpoenas this week he said were part of a sweeping effort targeting allies of Trump, insisting the investigation reached deeply into the congressional branch. Others who have acknowledged being scrutinized include Sens. Ted Cruz (R-TX), Josh Hawley (R-MO), Lindsey Graham (R-SC), and Tommy Tuberville (R-AL).
Scott argued the investigation fits a pattern of political retaliation. “I’ve seen this before,” he posted, citing past clashes with Democratic administrations. “Thank you, Chuck Grassley and Sen. Ron Johnson, for your work to hold the Biden admin accountable. JUSTICE MUST BE SERVED. Everyone involved in this gross abuse of power must be held accountable.”
JACK SMITH LAWYERS ADMIT MEDIA REPORTS PROMPTED PHONE RECORDS SUBPOENA OF GOP LAWMAKERS
Smith defended the subpoenas in a recent letter, saying they were “entirely proper” and appropriately narrow for a highly sensitive national security case.
He has asked lawmakers to let him testify publicly about his work. But top Republicans, including House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan (R-OH), are pushing for closed-door questioning first.
