Sen. Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn) has filed a complaint with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) alleging Verizon unlawfully disclosed his private phone records to the Department of Justice without his knowledge or consent. The info was sought as part of a federal investigation known as Arctic Frost.
In his complaint, Hagerty notes that Verizon turned over his customer proprietary network information in response to a subpoena without challenging the request or adequately protecting his data. He is asking the FCC to investigate whether Verizon violated federal privacy law and agency regulations.
The disclosure was connected to Arctic Frost, an FBI investigation launched in 2022 that later became part of the work overseen by Special Counsel Jack Smith.
As previously reported by the Associated Press, the investigation involved subpoenas seeking phone metadata from telecommunications providers as prosecutors examined efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election. The records sought generally included call logs and other metadata, not the contents of calls.
Hagerty said Verizon’s actions raised concerns about privacy protections for customers and lawmakers.
He is seeking an apology from Verizon leadership, internal discipline for those involved, disclosure of how the subpoena was handled, and changes to company policies.
Steve Gill is editor and publisher of TriStar Daily.
