Unearthed records confirm scale of Jack Smith's Arctic Frost spying spree * WorldNetDaily * by Emily Kopp, Daily Caller News Foundation
Grassley released records about the investigation and said he intends to have Jack Smith appear before his committee.
SOURCE CHECK
TAP FOR WHYCredibility rates WorldNetDaily, where this article appeared. The other scores rate the article itself.
WorldNetDaily is a strongly partisan publisher, and this page reproduces content credited to the Daily Caller News Foundation rather than presenting reporting clearly produced by WND. The source and credit are disclosed, but the article’s institutional credibility is limited by its partisan framing and reliance on one-sided claims.
- Source type — A partisan national outlet; this is a strong constraint on institutional credibility.
- Transparency — The page credits the Daily Caller News Foundation and notes its licensing availability.
- Author attribution — The content is credited to Emily Kopp and the Daily Caller News Foundation, though the page’s author field is not specified.
- Editorial standards — The article offers limited independent verification of its allegations and relies heavily on partisan officials’ characterizations.
The article identifies records and a memo as the basis for its account and includes comments from Grassley and Johnson. However, it does not provide the documents’ contents in detail, relies principally on those senators’ interpretation, and gives little meaningful response from Smith or other sources beyond noting his denial.
HOW WE SCORE ↗The article reports the senators’ allegations at length and cites documents and a memo, but it does not provide a substantive response from Smith or an independent perspective on the records. Smith’s denial is mentioned briefly.
- Counterarguments presented — Smith’s denial is noted, but no detailed response or counterargument is presented.
- Source diversity — The article relies mainly on Republican senators’ statements and their investigation.
- Loaded language — The headline and article use loaded language that signals a conclusion about the conduct.
- Omitted context — The article gives little context about why the messages were sought or the investigators’ justification.
The framing presents the investigations as an intrusive abuse of power, using terms such as “spying spree” and foregrounding accusations from Republican investigators. The article gives little space to competing explanations or independent assessments.
- Language tone — The headline and article use strongly charged descriptions, including “spying spree” and “runaway train.”
- Source selection — The main interpretation comes from Grassley and Johnson, with no substantive opposing source quoted.
- Framing — The story frames the records primarily as evidence of investigators’ misconduct.
- Omission — It offers little detail about the investigative rationale or the government’s account of the records.
Original publisher not identified
This article credits another publisher, which ChamberLight has not identified, so the scores are WorldNetDaily's own.
Newly released records are described as showing that Jack Smith’s team accessed messages involving 44 members of Congress during investigations connected to Donald Trump. Chuck Grassley and Ron Johnson say the records show investigators bypassed safeguards, while Smith has denied spying on lawmakers.
The article says records released by Chuck Grassley and Ron Johnson show that Smith’s team reviewed White House text messages involving 44 members of Congress. It reports that a Justice Department attorney warned the team that obtaining congressional messages could violate the Speech or Debate Clause, and that the records and a related memo indicate Smith’s team proceeded without waiting for a review of privileged information. Smith has denied spying on lawmakers, and he did not immediately respond to the article’s request for comment.
Grassley said he intended to have Smith appear before the Senate Judiciary Committee. Grassley and Johnson accused Biden-era Justice Department and FBI investigators of disregarding investigative protocols. The article describes the records as connected to the FBI’s Arctic Frost investigation and two other investigations, and lists the members of Congress whose messages were reportedly obtained.
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SWIPE →Senator who released the records and is leading Senate scrutiny of the investigation
Representative named among those whose messages were reportedly obtained
Representative named among those whose messages were reportedly obtained
Former representative named among those whose messages were reportedly obtained
Representative named among those whose messages were reportedly obtained
Senator named among those whose messages were reportedly obtained
Former director of national intelligence whose messages were reviewed
Senator named among those whose messages were reportedly obtained
Senator named among those whose messages were reportedly obtained
Former senator named among those whose messages were reportedly obtained
Former president mentioned in connection with the investigations’ timeline
Representative named among those whose messages were reportedly obtained
Representative named among those whose messages were reportedly obtained
Former senator named among those whose messages were reportedly obtained
Former House Intelligence Committee chair whose messages were reportedly included
Former representative named among those whose messages were reportedly obtained
Former White House chief of staff whose messages were reviewed
Representative named among those whose messages were reportedly obtained
Representative named among those whose messages were reportedly obtained
Representative from Washington named among those whose messages were reportedly obtained
Former senator named among those whose messages were reportedly obtained
Former representative named among those whose messages were reportedly obtained
Representative named among those whose messages were reportedly obtained
Former representative named among those whose messages were reportedly obtained
Senator named among those whose messages were reportedly obtained
Representative named among those whose messages were reportedly obtained
Senator named among those whose messages were reportedly obtained
Former senator named among those whose messages were reportedly obtained
Former representative named among those whose messages were reportedly obtained
Representative named among those whose messages were reportedly obtained
Senator named among those whose messages were reportedly obtained
Former representative named among those whose messages were reportedly obtained
Former representative named among those whose messages were reportedly obtained
Senator named among those whose messages were reportedly obtained
Former senator named among those whose messages were reportedly obtained
Senator named among those whose messages were reportedly obtained
Representative named among those whose messages were reportedly obtained
Former representative named among those whose messages were reportedly obtained
Senator who released the records and is investigating the FBI inquiry
Senator named among those whose messages were reportedly obtained
Former senator named among those whose messages were reportedly obtained
House Judiciary chair whose messages were reportedly included in the investigation
Senator named among those whose messages were reportedly obtained
Representative named among those whose messages were reportedly obtained
Senator named among those whose messages were reportedly obtained
Part of a bigger story
8 OUTLETSOutlets report that records released by Sens. Chuck Grassley and Ron Johnson show Jack Smith’s team accessed messages involving 44 members of Congress before screening. Grassley said he plans to bring Smith before the Senate Judiciary Committee. Center outlets present the claims as allegations, with one account also noting Smith’s defense. Right-leaning outlets emphasize alleged misconduct and possible accountability, though one situates the issue in Blanche’s confirmation hearing.
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