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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.”

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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.”

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U.S. security official resigns — Is the administration in turmoil?
U.S. Counterterrorism Chief Resigns, Citing Opposition to Iran War The head of the U.S. National Counterterrorism Center, Joe Kent, has resigned in protest of the ongoing war with Iran, arguing that Washington was drawn into the conflict under pressure from Israel. In a statement posted on X on March 17, Kent said he could no longer support the war “in good conscience,” adding that Iran does not pose an imminent threat to the United States. “After much reflection, I have decided to step down… I cannot support the war with Iran. It is clear we entered this conflict due to pressure from Israel and powerful lobbying groups,” he wrote. Joe Kent, director of the U.S. National Counterterrorism Center, debates in Oregon during his 2024 congressional campaign. Photo: AP Kent also released a resignation letter addressed to President Donald Trump, accusing Israeli officials and influential figures in U.S. media of promoting what he described as a misinformation campaign that helped push the U.S. toward war. He warned that such narratives created the false perception that Iran was an immediate threat and could be quickly defeated, drawing parallels to the lead-up to the Iraq War. While reaffirming support for Trump’s past foreign policy positions, Kent cautioned that prolonged conflicts in the Middle East have cost American lives and strained national resources. He urged the president to reconsider the current course. “The time to act decisively is now. You have the opportunity to reverse course and chart a new path for the country,” he wrote. The White House and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence have not commented on the resignation. U.S. intelligence officials told the Associated Press they were surprised by the move. Kent is the first senior official in the Trump administration to resign over the Iran conflict. As NCTC director, he oversaw efforts to analyze and counter terrorism threats against the United States. Before joining the administration, Kent ran twice for Congress in Washington state and served as a Green Beret with 11 deployments, later working for the CIA. He was confirmed by the Senate in July 2025 in a 52–44 vote, facing strong opposition from Democrats while earning praise from Republicans, including Senator Tom Cotton. His resignation comes amid escalating tensions, with Iran launching repeated missile and drone attacks on U.S. military and civilian targets across the Gulf since late February. According to U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), more than 200 American troops have been wounded in 16 days of fighting, including 10 seriously. Seven U.S. service members have been killed in Iranian attacks, while six others died last week when a KC-135 refueling aircraft crashed in Iraq.