Boasberg's role in 'Arctic Frost' probe sparks fury from GOP senators, despite local rules
Republican senators issued a torrent of criticism against U.S. District Judge James Boasberg this week after it was revealed that he had signed off on subpoenas and gag orders issued...
By Fox News · Fox News
Republican senators issued a torrent of criticism against U.S. District Judge James Boasberg this week after it was revealed that he had signed off on subpoenas and gag orders issued as part of former Special Counsel Jack Smith’s investigation — though a cursory review of court rules suggests it is far less provocative than lawmakers have claimed. Sens. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, and Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., were among the Republicans who blasted Boasberg as an "activist" judge, and Cruz, for his part, suggested Boasberg should be impeached. "My assumption," Cruz fumed, is "that Judge Boasberg printed these things out like the placemats at Denny's — one after the other." MAJOR PHONE CARRIERS REVEAL JACK SMITH'S SUBPOENAS FOR REPUBLICAN SENATORS' RECORDS At issue were subpoenas and gag orders issued by former special counsel Jack Smith's team as part of its probe into President Donald Trump' s actions in the wake of the 2020 election. The redacted documents were made public this week by Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa. They included subpoenas of phone records for 10 senators and one House lawmaker, and gag orders sent to Verizon and AT&T instructing them not to notify lawmakers of the subpoena. (Verizon complied, AT&T did not.) Both the subpoenas and gag orders were signed by U.S. District Judge James Boasberg, according to the newly released documents — a detail that prompted fresh criticism and indignation from some of the Republicans in question, including Cruz, who blasted the investigation in question as "worse than Watergate" and a gross violation of prosecutorial powers. Blackburn blasted Boasberg as an "activist" judge. Some lawmakers further argued for his impeachment as a result of his involvement. In fact, his role in the process is far from surprising. WHO IS JAMES BOASBERG, THE US JUDGE AT THE CENTER OF TRUMP'S DEPORTATION EFFORTS? Local rules for the federal court system in D.C. explicitly state the chief judge "must hear and determine all proceedings be…