Logo

Republicans Aim To Impeach Federal Judge Over Secret Subpoenas Targeting GOP Officials

Republicans Aim To Impeach Federal Judge Over Secret Subpoenas Targeting GOP Officials

Republican lawmakers in the House are moving to impeach U.S. District Court Chief Judge James Boasberg after revelations that he and Judge Beryl Howell issued non-disclosure orders shielding nearly 200 subpoenas targeting Republican organizations, officials, and donors under former Special Counsel Jack Smith.

Late Thursday, Representative Brandon Gill of Texas said he is drafting articles of impeachment against Boasberg. Representative Byron Donalds of Florida also signaled his intent to pursue impeachment. It is not yet clear whether Howell will also face similar action, The National Pulse reported.

The National Pulse reported that Smith issued 197 subpoenas affecting more than 430 Republican groups and individuals as part of what is being described as the “Arctic Frost” probe. Senator Chuck Grassley of Iowa called the investigation a “fishing expedition” targeting the Republican political apparatus.


Among the subpoenas were requests for telecom companies to hand over cell data from about a dozen Republican lawmakers. The disclosure orders signed by Boasberg and Howell prevented the companies from notifying the affected members.

“Radical activist judge James Boasberg continues to weaponize his judicial authority and target his political opponents,” Gill said in a statement. “Judge Boasberg facilitated the egregious Arctic Frost scandal, where he equipped the Biden DOJ to spy on Republican senators. His lack of integrity makes him clearly unfit for the gavel.”

Kavanagh’s ‘Roadmap’ Ruling Gives Trump Tariff Wiggle Room: Expert
Read More
Boasberg, appointed by former President Barack Obama, serves as chief judge for the U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C. He has faced criticism in the past for rulings that affected Trump administration policies.
According to reports, the subpoenas targeted political vendors and financial institutions linked to Trump-aligned PACs, suggesting that Smith’s office sought to trace potential monetary connections between consulting firms, advisors, and nonprofits. The goal appeared to be establishing grounds for possible RICO charges if prosecutors had secured a conviction against Trump.

In March, Representative Andy Biggs of Arizona introduced a resolution to remove Judge Boasberg from office under Article III, Section 1 of the Constitution — an approach that would bypass impeachment and the two-thirds vote required in the Senate, JustTheNews reported.

 

Biggs said federal judges “serve during good behavior” and argued that Congress has the authority to remove those who fail to meet that standard.

“Most Americans believe that there is lifetime tenure for a federal judge. That unless impeached, a federal judge can serve until death,” Biggs told JustTheNews. “But lifetime tenure is not guaranteed, nor mentioned, in the Constitution. Article III, Section 1 permits a federal judge to serve only ‘during good behavior.’”

Boasberg, who serves in Washington, D.C., had previously blocked the Trump administration from using the Alien Enemies Act of 1798 to deport illegal immigrants alleged to be members of the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua. He ordered government planes en route to El Salvador carrying the alleged gang members to return to the United States.

Biggs said such actions exceeded judicial authority and interfered with presidential powers over foreign policy and national security.

“Maybe firing such a judge could be the answer,” Biggs said. “It would certainly be specific deterrence that would prevent that type of misconduct from such a judge. And it would provide general deterrence in that all other federal judges would think more about applying the law to the case rather than attempting to twist the law so that the judge can attack a political adversary.”

Biggs’ resolution argues that Boasberg’s injunction blocking deportations of alleged gang members infringed upon the president’s constitutional prerogatives and abused his judicial power.

“The Constitution grants the President broad and expansive powers over the conduct of foreign policy and to ensure national security against foreign threats,” the resolution states. It accuses Boasberg of “knowingly interfering with the President’s execution of foreign policy by ordering the return of members of a designated foreign terrorist organization to the United States.”

U.S. Navy Declines to Escort Ships Through the Strait of Hormuz Despite Trump’s Calls 👇
U.S. Navy Rebuffs White House on Hormuz Escort Mandate Amid Escalating Tensions WASHINGTON — Despite repeated assertions from President Donald Trump that the United States is prepared to safeguard transit through the Strait of Hormuz, the U.S. Navy continues to reject requests for military escorts of commercial vessels, citing prohibitive operational risks. The move comes as the global shipping industry pleads for intervention following the flare-up of conflict between the U.S., Israel, and Iran. According to sources within the maritime industry, the Navy has been turning away daily requests for protection, warning that the threat environment in the narrow waterway remains too volatile to ensure safe passage. A "Mission Impossible" The impasse has effectively paralyzed one of the world’s most critical maritime arteries, which facilitates roughly 20% of global oil transit. The resulting supply squeeze has pushed global oil prices to their highest levels since 2022. While President Trump has publicly maintained that Washington stands ready to escort tankers "when necessary," the military’s leadership has adopted a markedly more cautious tone. Gen. Dan Caine, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, noted that the Pentagon is still evaluating potential options but has yet to authorize formal escort operations. Maritime security analysts warn that securing the Strait may currently be a "mission impossible." Iran’s reliance on asymmetrical warfare—specifically low-cost, hard-to-detect naval mines and swarms of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs)—presents a formidable challenge even for a multi-national coalition. Mixed Signals from Washington The confusion in the U.S. strategy was underscored recently when Energy Secretary Chris Wright took to social media platform X to claim the first successful U.S.-led escort mission. The post was deleted shortly thereafter, fueling industry concerns about a disconnect between the White House and the Pentagon. As of today, the majority of maritime traffic remains stalled, with hundreds of vessels anchored outside the chokepoint. While the Pentagon has vowed to target Iranian mine-laying capabilities, analysts argue that a prolonged closure of the Strait could result in catastrophic consequences for the global energy market. Would you like me to analyze the specific economic implications of a prolonged closure of the Strait of Hormuz on global inflation, or perhaps detail the specific asymmetric threats posed by the IRGC in this theater?