Grassley Uncovers Additional Biden FBI Weaponization in “Operation Rampart Twelve”

Grassley Uncovers Additional Biden FBI Weaponization in "Operation Rampart Twelve"

Thank you, Chairman Schmitt, for your leadership on this matter.

And I also appreciate Senator Johnson's leadership in this investigation.

Today is the third in a series of Arctic Frost hearings I've authorized as chairman.

Today, just like the other hearings, we're making new records public. These are more records the Democrats wanted to hide. The Democrats have supported these fired former Biden Department of Justice (DOJ) and FBI officials. But, as the records show, these fired officials weren't protecting our country.

They were literally trying to destroy it.

The records include text messages between J.P. Cooney and Molly Gaston, two partisan prosecutors who later joined Jack Smith's team.

Other records include emails and documents involving partisan anti-Trump FBI Agent Timothy Thibault. I've obtained these Thibault records through legally protected whistleblower disclosures.

The partisan media has attempted, and failed, to undermine my whistleblowers. When whistleblowers provide records, I carry out their desire to make them public.

Since I'm on the topic, I've been told of a lawsuit filed by terminated FBI agents. That lawsuit alleges coordination between my office and the FBI in making their names public.

I made those FBI agent names public at Kash Patel's nomination hearing on January 30, 2025. Clearly, he and then-FBI leadership didn't give me those records. Whistleblowers did!

Now, regarding the new records.

These records detail Operation Rampart Twelve, which was a preliminary investigation opened by the FBI Washington Field Office into at least Representatives Lauren Boebert, Paul Gosar, Andy Biggs and Mo Brooks.

Rampart Twelve appears to be a predecessor case to Arctic Frost and was opened on January 22, 2021.

The investigation was based on allegations that Boebert and Gosar led reconnaissance tours in advance of January 6.

But what you'll find in the available records is that the evidence to support the investigation didn't exist.

Even so, J.P. Cooney personally concurred with opening the investigation, even though his text messages told a different tale.

Text messages between Cooney and Gaston show they questioned the credibility of the allegations before the investigation was opened.

On January 13, 2021, Gaston messaged Cooney: "Say for the sake of argument that we did want to look at lauren boebert (i don't think we do)."

Messages from January 16, 2021, show Cooney and Gaston discussed Capitol video footage that appeared to contradict allegations against Boebert.

Those messages say:

Cooney: "They have Boebert on camera."

Gaston: "?"

Cooney: "and near Sherrill [as in then-Representative and now-New Jersey Governor Sherrill]."

Gaston: "but Boebert's not with others?"

Cooney: "right. But. There is a MAGA hat group about a minute behind her. But it's a family-with kids."

Cooney and Gaston then discuss how the video appears to identify a tourist taking photos.

The messages continue:

Gaston: "Sigh."

Cooney: "it's weird but does not look suspicious."

Gaston: "ok. Well, that's too bad."

And yet, on February 3, 2021, Cooney emailed Thibault that he, as in Cooney, personally concurred with the FBI opening the investigation.

Notably, Cooney's February 3 email was an analysis of whether the case violated rules opening sensitive investigations.

But the case had already been opened as of January 22.

Within months of opening Rampart Twelve, based on the available records, the FBI apparently had nothing substantiating the allegations against Boebert and Gosar.

Through legally protected whistleblower disclosures, I've obtained a May 2021 draft of a briefing update on Rampart Twelve containing investigative highlights.

Thibault was a drafter of that document, and it includes his track edits.

That document says the FBI reviewed Boebert and Gosar's toll records. It also says the FBI reviewed video footage from key areas of the Capitol.

The document shows the FBI lacked evidence linking Boebert or Gosar to assisting those who entered the Capitol on January 6.

The document also says the FBI failed to identify two of their accusers in the video footage they reviewed, which casts doubt on the veracity of their allegations.

Even so, on July 16, 2021, Leanna Saler, an agent in the FBI's Public Corruption Unit, emailed Thibault to remind him that Rampart Twelve "expires on July 22."

You see, a preliminary investigation can generally only stay open for six months at a time if there isn't sufficient evidence.

And, without citing any facts or evidence, Thibault responds, "Extend and cite we are awaiting HQ guidance."

Cooney, Gaston, Saler and Thibault's partisan, weaponized investigation would continue until it was shut down by FBI Headquarters January 27, 2022, a full year after it was opened.

In a January 27, 2022, email, Thibault tells Saler: "direction from FBI HQ is to the close the case."

Finally, I would like to highlight messages from February 14, 2021, between Cooney and Gaston talking about the Speech or Debate Clause and targeting congressional toll records.

In these messages, Cooney and Gaston discuss how they can circumvent the statutory barriers Congress put in place to obtain congressional toll records.

Cooney says: "I'm re-reading this statutory language this is ridiculous"

Cooney continues: "I think they contemplate toll records."

And Gaston later says: "I would rather go through litigation on tolls first."

The conversation between these two - where they're trying to circumvent the law - creates more questions about Jack Smith, J.P. Cooney and Molly Gaston's secretive efforts to obtain Member toll records.

And, more precisely, their intentional withholding of notice from Members of Congress and their lack of candor to the court.

All these records, taken together, show partisan prosecutors and FBI agents used dubious allegations to pursue political investigations against Republican Members of Congress.

This committee's investigative work is necessary because during the entire Biden administration my Democratic colleagues didn't lift a finger to investigate this political rot.

They protected the treachery of the Biden-Harris administration. And now you'll hear them wanting to continue sweeping this under the rug. Don't listen to them. They've lost all credibility on this matter.

Just imagine holding a Jack Smith hearing without the records we've since obtained, like my Democratic colleagues have wanted to do. And may even try to feebly argue today.

The due diligence will be done, and despite the other side's obstruction, this committee's work will continue.

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