Internal communications reveal federal investigators continued examining Republican members of Congress even after senior prosecutors questioned the credibility of key allegations.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
Documents obtained by Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley indicate that federal investigators during the Biden administration pursued an inquiry into several Republican lawmakers tied to the Jan. 6 Capitol events, despite internal concerns among prosecutors that the central claims lacked merit, according to reporting by the Daily Caller News Foundation.
1029132273 Rampart Twelve Documents by yourNEWS Media
The investigation, known as “Rampart Twelve,” was initiated in January 2021 following claims made by then-Rep. Mikie Sherrill of New Jersey. She alleged that certain Republican members of Congress had conducted reconnaissance-style tours of the Capitol prior to the Jan. 6 breach. Supporting records show the FBI examined whether lawmakers may have assisted individuals involved in organizing the unrest.
Grassley said the investigation reflects broader concerns about the conduct of federal agencies. “Operation Rampart 12 is yet another example in which Republicans were unfairly targeted and secretly subjected to an invasive investigation by the Biden DOJ and FBI,” he told the Daily Caller News Foundation. He added, “If not for my investigative work and brave whistleblowers, we wouldn’t know about FBI agents’ and DOJ prosecutors’ disgraceful efforts to try and destroy Republicans. My Democrat colleagues want to ignore these facts and evidence and defend the fired officials who participated in Biden’s lawfare. I’ll continue working to expose the widespread constitutional abuses that occurred under the Biden administration, because transparency brings accountability.”
Sherrill’s allegations, made publicly in a Jan. 12, 2021 broadcast and reported by multiple outlets including the Washington Post, prompted further scrutiny. She and more than 30 Democratic lawmakers also sent a letter requesting information on visitors to the Capitol the day before the attack.
The FBI inquiry focused on Republican Reps. Lauren Boebert of Colorado, Paul Gosar of Arizona, Andy Biggs of Arizona, and former Rep. Mo Brooks of Alabama. Investigators obtained phone toll records for some of those members, according to internal memoranda.
Text messages between prosecutors involved in the early stages of the inquiry show skepticism about the allegations. In one Jan. 13, 2021 exchange, prosecutor J.P. Cooney described Sherrill’s handling of the claims as “embarrassing” and “appalling,” stating it “makes her allegations completely incredible.” Fellow prosecutor Molly Gaston wrote, “i hate politicians,” later clarifying, “hate is the wrong word. I’m disillusioned by them.”
Despite those reservations, discussions about continuing the investigation persisted. Cooney noted that while evidence might be difficult to establish, the theory behind the alleged coordination “makes perfect sense to me,” adding that proving intent could be challenging.
Subsequent messages referenced surveillance footage involving Boebert inside the Capitol. Cooney described one scene involving individuals wearing pro-Trump attire but said the group appeared to be a family and that their behavior “does not look suspicious.”
The investigation also considered other claims, including a report from a congressional staffer who said he overheard individuals suggesting they could gain access through Rep. Gosar, as well as statements by rally organizer Ali Alexander, who claimed coordination with Brooks, Gosar, and Biggs to apply pressure on Congress. Those claims were previously reported by the Washington Post.
The preliminary probe was formally opened Jan. 22, 2021, according to internal communications. Cooney later advised FBI officials that restrictions governing politically sensitive investigations during election periods did not apply, citing that the individuals involved were not declared candidates at the time and that the inquiry posed no risk of influencing an active election, referencing relevant rules.
Republican lawmakers responded months later by filing an ethics complaint against Democrats who made the reconnaissance allegations, arguing they were unsupported.
By late 2021, FBI officials sought to advance the inquiry further, including potential interviews with Boebert and Gosar. However, internal direction shifted, and in January 2022, FBI leadership instructed agents to close the case.
Sen. Ron Johnson of Wisconsin said the internal communications indicate a determination to pursue investigations regardless of the strength of the claims. “Smith eventually hired both J.P. Cooney and Molly Gaston, allowing them to continue their partisan work,” Johnson said. “My oversight efforts will continue to expose what was occurring in Jack Smith’s office.”
Sen. Eric Schmitt of Missouri also commented on the findings, stating, “These bombshell documents reveal that bad actors at the highest levels of our government and intelligence agencies targeted broad swaths of the America Right and sitting members of Congress with no evidence of wrongdoing. This fishing expedition was nothing more than a political agenda. Finally under the leadership of Chairman Grassley, and the work of this committee, we are shining a light on this corruption that the Democrats ignored under Biden, and we will not stop until there is full accountability for those involved.”
Grassley is expected to present the documents during an upcoming Senate Judiciary Committee hearing related to the broader “Arctic Frost” investigation.
Additional scrutiny has focused on telecommunications data obtained during related probes. In February, executives from major phone companies testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee about compliance with subpoenas that included records for multiple Republican lawmakers. According to prior disclosures by Grassley, those subpoenas encompassed toll data from 20 current or former members, as outlined in records he released.
Original article
Comments