The Biden Department of Justice (DOJ) subpoenaed House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan's phone records in 2022, seeking data covering over two years beginning January 1, 2020, Fox News reports. The subpoena requested toll records from Verizon, which included details such as the timings of calls and messages, along with the contacts involved, but not the contents of communications. This request predated special counsel Jack Smith's involvement with the DOJ by seven months, though Smith later worked on the related January 6 investigation, known as Arctic Frost.
The subpoena for Jordan's phone records was among the earliest in this investigation and occurred while Jordan was the top Republican on the Judiciary Committee, which oversees DOJ oversight. According to Fox News, Jordan’s “role at the time is illustrative of Republicans' sharp criticisms of the Arctic Frost subpoenas, as they claim the requests for Congress members' phone records breached the separation of powers, including under the speech or debate clause.”
In addition to Jordan’s records, the subpoena also targeted three other phone numbers that were redacted, under a gag order lasting a year. Verizon complied with the subpoena and reported uncovering new information about Jordan during the process, which it shared with him. Verizon also indicated it is cooperating with Congress to restore trust and consider reforms for better notification protections related to subpoenas.
"As part of our investigation, we uncovered new information regarding Chairman Jordan and shared it with him as soon as possible,” Verizon spokesman Rich Young said, according to Fox News. “We are committed to restoring trust through transparency and will continue to work with Congress and the administration as they examine these issues and consider reforms to expand notification protections."