Newly disclosed FBI memos reveal a startling detail: then-Special Counsel Jack Smith’s office sanctioned a $20,000 payment to a confidential informant in 2023 as part of the FBI’s “Arctic Frost” investigation tied to President Donald Trump and challenges to the 2020 election results.
According to documents obtained by Just the News and recently provided to Congress by FBI Director Kash Patel, the Arctic Frost probe involved extensive tactics, including the analysis of phone and email records from nearly 150 Trump associates, lawyers, advisers, and even members of Congress, alongside the use of a paid informant to gather information.
The issue has sparked intense debate, with critics of the investigation pointing to potential overreach and violations of constitutional protections.
The memos turned over to Congress detail a wide-ranging effort by the FBI to scrutinize Trump’s inner circle, including the phone records of nine congressional allies and over 50 White House-issued cell phones.
Notable figures like Steve Bannon, Bill Stepien, Sidney Powell, and others had their long-distance call data analyzed, painting a picture of a sweeping operation that left few stones unturned.
Even personal lawyers like Jenne Ellis and Cleta Mitchell found their communications under the microscope, raising alarms about privacy and privilege.
The most striking revelation from the documents is the $20,000 payment to a confidential human source, approved on June 2, 2023, with documented concurrence from Counselor to the Special Counsel Raymond Hulser and discussed with Smith himself.
Speculation is rife about the informant’s identity—could this be a Trump insider turned source? The lack of transparency only fuels curiosity and concern about the methods employed.
As FBI Director Kash Patel told Just the News, “What occurred in the Arctic Frost matter was an egregious abuse of power and violation of the law.”
The probe’s reach extended to eight U.S. senators and one congressman, with phone records obtained under an order from U.S. District Judge Boasberg, a move that has lawmakers like Sen. Lindsey Graham and Sen. Marsha Blackburn threatening legal action over breaches of congressional privilege.
Republican lawmakers have criticized the investigation as resembling a broad “fishing expedition” rather than a focused inquiry, stirring worries about Fourth Amendment violations.
Patel emphasized the need for accountability, stating to Just the News, “This FBI is committed to restoring accountability and public trust.”
Former Trump lawyers caught in the probe’s net have not held back their dismay, with Jenne Ellis declaring to Just the News, “Jack Smith’s Arctic Frost operation crossed a constitutional red line, and everyone involved should be held accountable.”
Cleta Mitchell echoed the sentiment, telling Just the News, “To think that these evil Biden cronies were intent upon spying on me, my colleagues and associates because of my concerns about the 2020 election… is grounds for investigating each of them.”
Both have called on Attorney General Pam Bondi to probe the newly released documents, and it’s hard to ignore their point—when does zealous investigation tip into unconstitutional overreach?
