Courage. That is what it takes to stand up for conservative principles in America today. And as newly released documents make painfully clear, those who possess such courage have found themselves in the crosshairs of federal law enforcement.
The House Judiciary Committee released a trove of records on Tuesday that paint a disturbing picture of how the Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted itself during the Biden administration. These documents relate to what the agency called its “Arctic Frost” investigation, which eventually morphed into Special Counsel Jack Smith’s legal campaign against Donald Trump and his supporters regarding the 2020 election.
The scope of this investigation should alarm every American who values constitutional government and the rule of law.
Among the more than 150 individuals subjected to FBI scrutiny was Ed Corrigan, president and chief executive officer of the Conservative Partnership Institute. The documents reveal that on September 12, 2022, an FBI official from the Seattle Field Office sent an email to a colleague in the Washington headquarters discussing Corrigan in terms that can only be described as politically charged.
The email, though partially redacted, shows the Seattle agent citing an unidentified source who allegedly claimed Corrigan “is pro-Putin and anti-Biden.” More troubling still, the email states that this source and a colleague considered what Corrigan was doing to be “treason.”
Let that sink in for a moment. Treason. The most serious charge that can be leveled against an American citizen.
The accusations grew more outlandish from there. The unnamed source allegedly claimed that Corrigan “and his boss Mark Meadows are engaging in willful criminal activity.” Another claim suggested Corrigan possessed properties where he wanted “to build up infrastructure to train people for civil war.”
These are not the measured assessments of professional law enforcement. These read like fever dreams from the furthest reaches of partisan imagination.
The Seattle-based FBI official also appeared to embrace left-wing conspiracy theories about Corrigan’s influence. The email claimed that “Corrigan secretly controls the freedom caucus and has plans that are not good for the FBI.” It noted that Corrigan “hates the FBI, who he refers to as spooks.”
The irony here is thick enough to cut with a knife. The same Seattle FBI office that apparently devoted resources to investigating a respected conservative leader presided over a city where violent riots raged for extended periods. While Antifa and other radical groups destroyed property and terrorized citizens, the bureau was evidently more concerned with tracking the activities of Ed Corrigan.
Those familiar with Corrigan know these allegations bear no resemblance to reality. He is widely respected across the conservative movement, known for his principled leadership and dedication to constitutional governance. The Conservative Partnership Institute has become a vital organization for training and supporting those who serve in public office with conservative values.
The documents released by the House Judiciary Committee suggest the FBI’s probe extended far beyond Corrigan. Trump-affiliated figures across key battleground states found themselves under federal scrutiny, raising serious questions about coordination between the Justice Department and state prosecutors.
This is not how law enforcement operates in a free society. Investigations are supposed to follow evidence of actual crimes, not political affiliations or policy disagreements. When federal agencies begin treating citizens as suspects based on their beliefs rather than their actions, we have crossed a dangerous line.
The full extent of what occurred during the Biden administration’s tenure at the FBI remains to be seen. But these newly released records provide a window into an agency that appears to have lost its way, allowing political considerations to override its fundamental mission of impartial law enforcement.
Americans deserve better. They deserve an FBI that protects all citizens equally, regardless of their political views. The question now is whether those in power have the will to ensure such abuses never happen again.
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