Whistleblower disclosures obtained by Senators Chuck Grassley and Ron Johnson allege that a former FBI agent, previously known for anti-Trump sentiments, played a key role in initiating and furthering the bureau's initial investigation into the 2020 election, improperly linking Donald Trump to the probe without adequate justification.

The investigation, internally referred to as "Arctic Frost," was officially opened by the FBI on April 13, 2022. The senators contend that the federal election interference case against Trump stemmed from actions taken by FBI Assistant Special Agent in Charge Timothy Thibault.

Thibault's previous dismissal from the FBI for Hatch Act violations related to his political social media posts has been well-documented. Earlier whistleblowers had expressed concerns about Thibault's public displays of partisanship potentially impacting investigations concerning both Trump and Hunter Biden.

Internal FBI emails and supporting documents, shared exclusively with Fox News Digital by the senators, purportedly show Thibault communicating with a subordinate agent on February 14, 2022, sharing draft opening language that later became part of Special Counsel Jack Smith's elector case. Another email from Thibault to a prosecutor in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia on February 24, 2022, indicates his belief in sufficient predication to include Trump as a subject of the investigation.

Sources suggest that Thibault initiated these actions despite lacking the authority to open criminal investigations, a power reserved for special agents. Subsequent emails reveal communication regarding adding Trump as a subject and seeking approval from Attorney General Merrick Garland and FBI Director Christopher Wray. An email exchange between Thibault and a subordinate agent on February 25, 2022, confirms the addition of Trump and others to the case.

Further email exchanges show Thibault seeking approval for the investigation's opening, though one version omits Trump as a subject, raising questions about who subsequently added him. The timeline of emails suggests a series of revisions and approvals leading up to the official opening of Arctic Frost on April 13, 2022, with subsequent notification to the DOJ.

Senators Grassley and Johnson have raised concerns about the involvement of Richard Pilger, a DOJ official, in reviewing and approving the Arctic Frost investigation. Previous reports by Senator Grassley had questioned Pilger’s record at the DOJ. Whistleblowers have alleged that the initial predicating document was based on information from a liberal non-profit and that subsequent revisions minimized this connection. The senators also highlighted a prior professional relationship between Smith and Pilger, raising questions about potential conflicts of interest.

Smith's appointment as special counsel and his subsequent investigations into Trump's handling of classified documents and alleged interference in the 2020 election have been widely covered. The classified records case was ultimately dismissed, while the election interference case was dropped after Trump's re-election.

Senator Grassley has formally requested all records related to this matter to gain a comprehensive understanding of the events and determine if additional records exist. The FBI has declined to comment.