Rep. Brandon Gill, R-Texas, is formally introducing articles of impeachment against U.S. District Judge James Boasberg over the judge’s role in the federal investigation known as “Arctic Frost.”
As Fox News reported, Gill’s resolution, being introduced Tuesday, accuses Boasberg of abuse of power in connection with orders issued during the investigation led by former special counsel Jack Smith.
Republican lawmakers and allies of President Donald Trump have increasingly criticized Boasberg after documents revealed that he approved subpoenas and other investigative measures involving Republican members of Congress.
“Chief Judge Boasberg has compromised the impartiality of the judiciary and created a constitutional crisis. He is shamelessly weaponizing his power against his political opponents, including Republican members of Congress who are faithfully serving the American people within their jurisdiction,” Gill told Fox News Digital.
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“Judge Boasberg was an accomplice in the egregious Arctic Frost scandal where he equipped the Biden DOJ to spy on Republican senators. His lack of integrity makes him clearly unfit for the gavel. I am proud to once again introduce articles of impeachment against Judge Boasberg to hold him accountable for his high crimes and misdemeanors.”
The impeachment resolution contains one count of abuse of power, according to the text obtained by Fox News Digital.
“Ignoring his responsibility to wield the power of his office in a constitutional manner, Chief Judge Boasberg granted Special Counsel John L. Smith authorization to issue frivolous nondisclosure orders in furtherance of the Federal Bureau of Investigation project codenamed ARCTIC FROST,” the resolution states.
“These nondisclosure orders covered Members of Congress who were acting in accord with their legislative duties and privileges guaranteed by Article 1, Section 6, Clause 1 of the U.S. Constitution.”
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The renewed push against Boasberg follows the release of redacted Arctic Frost documents by Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, late last month.
The records included subpoenas seeking phone records belonging to 10 senators and one House member.
The documents also showed that nondisclosure orders were sent to Verizon and AT&T directing the telecommunications companies not to inform the lawmakers that their records had been subpoenaed. Verizon complied with the order, while AT&T did not.
According to the documents, Boasberg signed both the subpoenas and the gag orders.
The revelation has prompted criticism from Republican lawmakers, including Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, who described the investigation as “worse than Watergate” and called it a serious abuse of prosecutorial authority.
The precise information Boasberg reviewed before approving the orders remains unclear. Under the Stored Communications Act, federal judges have discretion when determining whether to approve such orders rather than automatically signing off on them.
Much of the underlying material connected to the investigation remains classified or heavily redacted, making it difficult to determine what information was presented to the judge.
Republican lawmakers whose records were targeted have argued that the subpoenas could implicate the Constitution’s speech or debate clause.
The provision, found in Article I, Section 6, protects members of Congress from certain legal actions connected to their legislative responsibilities.
The constitutional protections are considered absolute for legislative acts, although courts can disagree over which activities qualify as legislative acts.
Gill’s impeachment effort is not the first time Boasberg has faced scrutiny from Republicans or criticism from Trump and his allies.
Earlier this year, Republican lawmakers considered impeachment resolutions against Boasberg after he issued an order temporarily pausing the Trump administration’s deportation flights carrying migrants to El Salvador.
Gill and other Republicans pursuing impeachment at the time ultimately backed away from the effort after House Republican leaders indicated that impeaching federal judges was not necessarily the most effective way to bring about a policy change.
The latest resolution represents a renewed effort by Gill to hold Boasberg accountable, this time focusing specifically on his involvement in the Arctic Frost investigation and the orders involving congressional records.
The case also places renewed attention on the role of federal judges in approving investigative demands involving members of Congress.
Republicans have argued that lawmakers conducting official legislative business have constitutional protections that must be respected during federal investigations.
Gill’s resolution will now add another congressional impeachment effort against a federal judge to the broader political and legal disputes surrounding the Trump administration, federal courts, and the Justice Department.
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