{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.rickscott.senate.gov/2025/11/sen-rick-scott-demands-answers-from-verizon-on-release-of-cell-phone-data-in-arctic-frost-witch-hunt", "Sen. Rick Scott Demands Answers from Verizon on Release of Cell Phone Data in Arctic Frost Witch Hunt", "2025-11-04", "2025", "2025-11", "Republican", "Senate", "FL", "Rick Scott", "S001217", "www.rickscott.senate.gov", "rickscott", "https://www.rickscott.senate.gov/press-releases/", "page_html", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Today, following news that he was among several Republicans targeted by Biden\u2019s Department of Justice Arctic Frost witch hunt investigation, Senator Rick Scott sent a letter to the chief executive officer of Verizon, Daniel Schulman, demanding answers on Verizon\u2019s decision to release the cell phone data of the senator and his Republican colleagues in the unlawful investigation. Senator Scott has also called for an investigation by the Department of Justice and held a press conference earlier today with Senator Ron Johnson and Congressman Byron Donalds on the unlawful Arctic Frost probe \u2013 watch it HERE or below.\n\nRead his full letter to Verizon HERE or below:\n\nDear Mr. Schulman:\n\nAs you are already aware, the Biden administration spied on Republican members of Congress by subpoenaing their cell phones records during its \u201cArctic Frost\u201d investigation. The Biden administration\u2019s secretive surveillance of Congress not only represented a desecration of our constitutional separation of powers, but it also appears to have violated federal law.\n\n2 U.S.C. \u00a7 6628(c) states, in clear and unambiguous terms, that \u201cany provider for a Senate office . . . shall not be barred, through operation of any court order or any statutory provision, from notifying the Senate office of any legal process seeking disclosure of Senate data of the Senate office.\u201d When Biden-appointed Special Counsel Jack Smith subpoenaed Republican senators\u2019 phone records, Obama-appointed Judge James Boasberg ordered the phone carriers \u201cnot to notify any other person\u201d\u2014including the targeted senators and Senate office staff\u2014\u201cof the existence of [the] subpoena.\u201d In doing so, Judge Boasberg made findings that they might destroy \u201cevidence\u201d or even intimidate witnesses. Of course, the mere suggestion of impropriety is insulting and offensive. But more importantly, this gag order appears to have violated Section 6628(c).\n\nFurthermore, Section 6628(d) states that if either a \u201cSenate office or provider\u201d files a motion to quash a subpoena that \u201crequire[s] the disclosure of Senate data,\u201d the court \u201cshall quash\u201d the subpoena or \u201cmodify\u201d it so as not to disclose the data. Understanding that the gag order and subpoena were unlawful, your competitor, AT&T, appears to have rightfully refused to comply. Verizon, however, appears to have rolled over and complied with the unlawful subpoena and cover-up. Verizon claims that, because \u201ca court ordered Verizon not to tell anyone,\u201d it \u201chad no choice but to comply with the court order.\u201d Yet if AT&T refused to comply and Section 6628 clearly states otherwise, then presumably Verizon did have a choice. It just failed to make the right one.\n\nI am a Verizon customer, and I recently discovered that my Verizon data was targeted by the subpoena and unlawful gag order. Rather than notifying my office that my Senate data was being compromised, as provided for in Section 6628(c), Verizon concealed this information from me. Verizon also failed to file a motion to quash as provided for in Section 6628(d). I am deeply disappointed in Verizon\u2019s failure to notify me or my office that my Senate data was exposed, as well as its failure to make any effort to protect my data.\n\nWhile I understand this decision was made before your appointment as chief executive officer, I request a full explanation from Verizon no later than November 17, 2025, including:\n\nWhy did Verizon fail to file a motion to quash and so readily relinquish my data?\n\nWhat measures has Verizon taken to ensure this does not happen again, including changes to service agreements and training protocols?\n\nWhat disciplinary measures were taken against those within the company who so readily rolled over and complied with the Jack Smith farce?\n\nI ask these questions not only for myself, but also on behalf of the millions of Americans who believe their data is safe with Verizon.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-03-30T11:08:25Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://www.rickscott.senate.gov/2025/11/sen-rick-scott-demands-answers-from-verizon-on-release-of-cell-phone-data-in-arctic-frost-witch-hunt"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.5992959961295128, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}