{"id":2629711,"date":"2026-07-14T16:31:00","date_gmt":"2026-07-14T20:31:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/jack-smith-team-reviewed-texts-involving-44-lawmakers-records\/"},"modified":"2026-07-14T16:33:14","modified_gmt":"2026-07-14T20:33:14","slug":"jack-smith-team-reviewed-texts-involving-44-lawmakers-records","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/jack-smith-team-reviewed-texts-involving-44-lawmakers-records\/","title":{"rendered":"Jack Smith team reviewed texts involving 44 lawmakers: Records"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">18<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fjack-smith-team-reviewed-texts-involving-44-lawmakers-records%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2629711&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>Justice Department records reveal that former special counsel Jack Smith\u2019s investigative team reviewed the text messages of 44 current and former members of Congress, bypassing standard protocols that required filter-team approval. The communications, mostly involving Republicans and some Democrats, were obtained from the National Archives, covering messages sent between October 2020 and January 2021 from phones linked to President Trump and his senior advisers. Senators Chuck Grassley and Ron Johnson released these records, which came after whistleblower disclosures related to the arctic Frost examination. The records highlight concerns about the team possibly circumventing established review procedures and access permissions, raising questions about the integrity of the process. The investigation also scrutinized messages stored on officials\u2019 phones from the Trump White House, with some messages redacted. Smith testified before Congress that the team did not seek warrants for lawmakers\u2019 text contents, only toll records, which do not include message content. the disclosures are expected to intensify oversight of Smith\u2019s investigation and it&#8217;s methods.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<article class=\"fn-body\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Former special counsel <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/jack-smith\/\">Jack Smith\u2019s<\/a> investigative team reviewed <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/section\/white-house\/\" type=\"link\" id=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/section\/white-house\/\">White House<\/a> records of text messages involving 44 current and former members of Congress after apparently bypassing a team established to screen potentially privileged material, according to newly released <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/department-of-justice\/\">Justice Department<\/a> records.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The communications reviewed under the Biden administration\u2019s DOJ involved mostly Republicans and a handful of Democrats, including Sens. <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/chuck-grassley\/\">Chuck Grassley<\/a> (R-IA), <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/ron-johnson\/\">Ron Johnson<\/a> (R-WI), Cory Booker (D-NJ), the late <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/lindsey-graham\/\">Lindsey Graham<\/a> (R-SC), and Josh Hawley (R-MO). House members included Reps. Jim Jordan (R-OH), Adam Smith (D-WA), and Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ), as well as former Rep. Karen Bass, now the Democratic mayor of Los Angeles.<\/p>\n<section class=\"explore-more-section\" id=\"wex-recommended-widget\">\n<div class=\"magazine-container single\">\n<h1 class=\"magazine-title mt-2\">Recommended Stories<\/h1>\n<p>             <i class=\"fa-solid fa-play icon\"><\/i>         <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-grid\">\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/justice\/4648061\/nevada-governor-joe-lombardo-traffic-stop\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Nevada Gov. Joe Lombardo uses his name to get out of traffic stop<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/justice\/4647959\/florida-delay-terrorist-designation-desantis-court\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Florida delays terrorist designations as DeSantis law faces court challenge<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/justice\/4647480\/trump-administration-trade-fraud-crackdown-1-billion\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Trump administration says trade fraud crackdown has topped $1 billion<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-x wp-block-embed-x\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">I received records frm DOJ confirming Jack Smith&#8217;s investigative team reviewed the contents of text msgs sent by 44 MEMBERS OF CONGRESS Im 1 of the 44<\/p>\n<p>Im alerting my colleagues who were impacted and will release the records w Sen Johnson so American ppl can see the evidence<\/p>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\u2014 Chuck Grassley (@ChuckGrassley) <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/ChuckGrassley\/status\/2077071414230712642?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">July 14, 2026<\/a><\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><script data-cfasync=\"false\" src=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/cdn-cgi\/scripts\/5c5dd728\/cloudflare-static\/email-decode.min.js\"><\/script><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.x.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script> <\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI received records [from] DOJ confirming Jack Smith\u2019s investigative team reviewed the contents of text [messages] sent by 44 members of Congress,\u201d Grassley wrote on X. \u201cI\u2019m one of the 44.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-1\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-1\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-15\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-1\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Grassley, chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.grassley.senate.gov\/imo\/media\/doc\/arctic_frost_filter_review_released_by_grassley_and_johnson.pdf\">released the records<\/a> Tuesday with Johnson, who leads the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations. The senators obtained the material following whistleblower disclosures about the federal investigation known as Arctic Frost.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Unlike previously disclosed subpoenas for lawmakers\u2019 telephone metadata, the latest records concern the contents of messages stored on phones used by officials in the first Trump White House. Investigators acquired the messages from the National Archives and Records Administration, not directly from lawmakers\u2019 devices or telephone carriers.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Smith\u2019s office requested messages sent between October 2020 and Jan. 20, 2021, from phones associated with President <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/donald-trump\/\">Donald Trump<\/a> and numerous senior advisers, including former chief of staff Mark Meadows, former deputy chief of staff Dan Scavino, daughter Ivanka Trump, deputy chief of staff for policy Stephen Miller, counselor Peter Navarro, CIA Director John Ratcliffe, FBI Director Kash Patel, former lawyer Rudy Giuliani, former senior counselor Kellyanne Conway, and former Vice President Mike Pence.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-2\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-2\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-16\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-2\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">At 12:19 p.m. on Aug. 21, 2023, National Archives General Counsel Gary Stern informed senior prosecutor Thomas Windom that the agency had identified 54 spreadsheets containing the requested custodians\u2019 messages.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">An Aug. 21, 2023, email chain shows senior prosecutor Thomas Windom telling colleagues that he had already downloaded the National Archives\u2019 White House text-message production and asking FBI investigators to download it as well. (U.S. Department of Justice records released by Sens. Chuck Grassley and Ron Johnson)<\/p>\n<p>&#8221; data-large-file=&#8221;https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/\/2026\/07\/localimages\/Screenshot-2026-07-14-at-2.44.00-PM.png?w=479&#8243; &#8220;https:><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">An Aug. 21, 2023, email chain shows senior prosecutor Thomas Windom telling colleagues that he had already downloaded the National Archives\u2019 White House text-message production and asking FBI investigators to download it as well. (U.S. Department of Justice records released by Sens. Chuck Grassley and Ron Johnson)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">By 12:45 p.m., Windom told colleagues, \u201cI already have downloaded.\u201d At 1:02 p.m., he circulated two specific messages copied from the production. Other emails show members of the investigative team directing that the files be transferred to shared storage and uploaded to the team\u2019s document-review system.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In a four-page <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.grassley.senate.gov\/imo\/media\/doc\/doj_to_grassley_-_arctic_frost_filter_team.pdf\">summary<\/a> of the DOJ\u2019s findings, the department said Smith\u2019s investigative team \u201capparently bypassed the Filter Team and directly accessed these text messages.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-3\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-3\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-17\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-3\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Written filter-team protocols included in the production stated that investigators could not access any material without a filter attorney\u2019s approval. However, a separate June 11, 2023, email shows DOJ personnel discovered that software permissions could allow investigators to access certain search-warrant material before its review was complete. Correcting those permissions was described as \u201cthe top priority item,\u201d raising concerns that Smith\u2019s team may have decided to bypass those clearly stated protocols.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">A June 11, 2023, Justice Department email directs contractors to restrict investigators\u2019 access to search-warrant records that had not completed filter-team review, calling the permissions issue a \u201ctop priority.\u201d (U.S. Department of Justice records released by Sens. Chuck Grassley and Ron Johnson)<\/p>\n<p>&#8221; data-large-file=&#8221;https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/\/2026\/07\/localimages\/Screenshot-2026-07-14-at-2.39.50-PM.png?w=484&#8243; &#8220;https:><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A June 11, 2023, Justice Department email directs contractors to restrict investigators\u2019 access to search-warrant records that had not completed filter-team review, calling the permissions issue a \u201ctop priority.\u201d (U.S. Department of Justice records released by Sens. Chuck Grassley and Ron Johnson)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cJack Smith\u2019s criminal investigation of President Trump was a runaway train that had no brakes,\u201d Grassley said. Johnson called the episode \u201cyet another grotesque example of the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/biden-administration\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"445\">Biden administration\u2019s <\/a>weaponization of the Justice Department.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The records do not publicly reproduce or identify every message involving each of the 44 lawmakers. Many telephone numbers, names, and portions of the underlying communications remain redacted. The list of affected lawmakers comes from the DOJ\u2019s review of the material.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-4\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-4\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-25\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-4\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The disclosure is also likely to renew scrutiny of Smith\u2019s Dec. 17, 2025, <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/4jhAq3SSOS\">deposition<\/a> before the House Judiciary Committee, during which Smith denied that his team ever read the contents of text messages involving members of Congress.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">Former Justice Department special counsel Jack Smith testifies before the House Judiciary Committee about his investigations into President Donald Trump, Thursday, Jan. 22, 2026 at the Capitol in Washington. (AP Photo\/Jacquelyn Martin)<\/p>\n<p>&#8221; data-large-file=&#8221;https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/\/2026\/07\/localimages\/AP26022645381316-e1783529258723.jpg6a569c8dc2856.jpg?w=696&#8243; &#8220;https:><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Former Justice Department special counsel Jack Smith testifies before the House Judiciary Committee about his investigations into President Donald Trump, Thursday, Jan. 22, 2026, at the Capitol in Washington. (Jacquelyn Martin\/AP Photos)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Asked whether his office sought a warrant for the contents of lawmakers\u2019 text messages, Smith answered, \u201cNo, I don\u2019t recall that.\u201d He agreed that investigators had obtained \u201cjust toll records.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/justice\/4640537\/doj-records-reveal-possible-classified-security-lapses-jack-smith-office-trump-prosecution\/\">DOJ RECORDS REVEAL POSSIBLE CLASSIFIED SECURITY LAPSES INSIDE JACK SMITH\u2019S OFFICE DURING TRUMP PROSECUTION<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-5\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-5\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-26\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-5\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Later, Smith was asked whether toll records obtained from members of Congress included text-message content. \u201cNo,\u201d he answered, explaining that toll records contain non-content information such as the numbers involved and the timing and duration of calls.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The <em>Washington Examiner <\/em>contacted an attorney for Smith, but did not receive a response.<\/p>\n<\/article>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Jack Smith\u2019s team reviewed Congress members\u2019 texts, bypassing protocols<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2633,"featured_media":2629712,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/AP26022655570696.jpg?w=696","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[82717,32463,3673,82716,50916],"class_list":["post-2629711","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","tag-government-scrutiny","tag-jack-smith","tag-lawmakers","tag-legal-records","tag-review-2"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/AP26022655570696.jpg?w=696","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2629711","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2633"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2629711"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2629711\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2629715,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2629711\/revisions\/2629715"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2629712"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2629711"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2629711"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2629711"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}