Cleta Mitchell, veteran election attorney and founder of the Election Integrity Network, joined Chicago’s Morning Answer to discuss newly uncovered details about the Department of Justice’s “Arctic Frost” investigation and what she describes as a politically motivated dragnet targeting conservatives connected to President Donald Trump.
Mitchell confirmed she was among those whose personal data was subpoenaed during the DOJ’s probe, which she and others say was designed to criminalize lawful political activity following the 2020 election. “They opened a so-called sensitive investigative matter in April 2022—two years after the election,” she explained. “It was supposed to be narrowly focused on alternate electors, but they expanded it to include hundreds of individuals and organizations.”
According to Mitchell, the operation—authorized by FBI Director Christopher Wray and Attorney General Merrick Garland—circumvented the very safeguards meant to prevent political abuse of law enforcement powers. “Trump had put guardrails in place in 2020 to keep the FBI from targeting political opponents,” she said. “But they ran a Mack truck right through those safeguards.”
She cited documents showing the FBI’s acquisition of financial and personal data, including credit reports, from multiple individuals involved with conservative organizations such as the Conservative Partnership Institute. “They had no justification for accessing my credit reports,” Mitchell said. “This was never about enforcing the law—it was about intimidation.”
Mitchell also detailed a case in Pennsylvania where FBI agents reportedly recorded a Republican Party chairman’s interview without his consent, violating state law. “It shows the level of lawlessness,” she said. “They’re so emboldened they don’t even pretend to follow the rules anymore.”
Mitchell argued that the Department of Justice later used the same rationale to pressure Democratic state attorneys general to bring charges against Trump-aligned electors at the state level once federal prosecution became politically untenable. “I believe the DOJ instigated those state-level indictments,” she said. “It’s the same operation—just decentralized.”
Looking ahead, Mitchell said she hopes the next Republican administration will issue full pardons for those she believes were wrongfully targeted. “The electors acted lawfully under federal authority,” she said. “President Trump can and should pardon them all.”
Mitchell’s comments come amid growing scrutiny of Special Counsel Jack Smith’s investigation, which issued at least 197 subpoenas to more than 400 individuals and organizations. “This was never about justice,” she said. “It was about stopping Trump—and anyone who stood with him.”