Patel 'cleans' up FBI after scandal over 'baseless' monitoring of Republican senators during the Biden Administration

The director of the FBI, Kash Patel, announced Tuesday drastic measures in response to an investigation that uncovered "baseless monitoring" of private communications of several Republican senators during the Biden Administration.

Immediate actions include firing employees and disbanding CR-15 Squad, an anti-corruption unit of the Washington Field Office.

“Transparency is important and accountability is critical,” Patel stated on his X account, emphasizing that these measures are part of a larger effort to "cleaning up a diseased temple three decades in the making — identifying the rot, removing those who weaponized law enforcement for political purposes and those who do not meet the standards of this mission while restoring integrity to the FBI. I promised reform, and I intend to deliver it," the director stated in an interview with Fox News.

Along those lines, Patel promised additional reforms and an ongoing investigation to ensure transparency.

The CR-15 squad, known as the FBI's public corruption unit in Washington, was abolished just a day after the communications trace was revealed. Moreover, this unit had previously collaborated with former special prosecutor Jack Smith in the investigation against President Donald Trump.

The source of the scandal: the monitoring under "Arctic Frost"

The controversy erupted Monday, when Fox News obtained an exclusive document dated Sept. 27, 2023, titled "CAST Assistance" (referring to the FBI's cellular analysis team).

The file, reveals that Smith's team, under operation "Arctic Frost" - initiated on April 13, 2022, and related to sensitive election matters - conducted a "preliminary toll analysis" on the phone records of at least nine Republican senators and one representative.

Who are the eight affected lawmakers?

The affected lawmakers include Lindsey Graham (South Carolina), Marsha Blackburn (Tennessee), Ron Johnson (Wisconsin), Josh Hawley (Missouri), Cynthia Lummis (Wyoming), Bill Hagerty (Tennessee), Dan Sullivan (Alaska), Tommy Tuberville (Alabama) and Rep. Mike Kelly (Pennsylvania).

The analysis provided access to data such as numbers called, duration of calls, originating and receiving location, obtained through subpoenas to major telephone providers in 2023.

Reactions on networks

Patel shared the measures on X: “Transparency is important and accountability is critical. We promised both, and this is what promises kept looks like. This FBI is delivering. We terminated employees, we abolished the weaponized CR-15 squad, and we initiated an ongoing investigation with more accountability measures ahead.”

In addition, the deputy director of the FBI, Dan Bongino, backed up the message in a response also on X: “We promised you transparency and accountability. We will continue to deliver on those promises. You deserve better.” Bongino also briefed the affected senators directly on the findings during a session at the Capitol this Monday.

For his part, Senator Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, shared the document on X and called it evidence that "Biden FBI spied on 8 of my Republican Senate colleagues during its Arctic Frost investigation into ‘election conspiracy’.”

In addition, Grassley compared the incident to Watergate, claiming that “BIDEN FBI WEAPONIZATION = WORSE THAN WATERGATE.”

For his part, Marsha Blackburn (R-Tennessee) called it an "abomination" and vowed not to let it go, and Bill Hagerty (R-Tennessee) linked it to a "witch hunt" against Trump under Democratic administrations.