Stealth Payoff to MAGA Conspirators Hidden in Shutdown Bill

At the last minute, without consultation or discussion, and without opposition by Schumer (D-NY), Republican leader Thune (R-SD) inserted in the legislation that ended the shutdown a provision that sets up a $500,000 payoff to eight Republican senators implicated in the 2020 "False Electors" scheme to replace Electoral College electors pledged to Biden with ones loyal to Trump. 

It allows them to sue the federal government (meaning us, the taxpayers) for collecting their phone-call metadata without notifying them. Note that the content of their calls was not subpoenaed, just who called whom for how long. Most observers assume that MAGA Attorney General Pam Bondi will not contest any payoff suit from any of the eight such as Graham (R-SC) so it will be a done deal.  

Collection of phone and email metadata has become a standard practice by police agencies. Why should senators exempt themselves (and only themselves) and also allow themselves to retroactively claim damages? Surely the communications metadata of environment defenders, ICE protesters, racial justice advocates, and people like us, are being regularly collected and scrutinized without our knowledge or redress. And quite possibly the same may also be true for Democratic office holders & candidates, and others like those aiding women's access to out-of-state medication or medical services in defiance of local MAGA misogyny laws. 

Now that this hidden payoff to eight of the 2020 election conspirators has come to light, there is much bombast and bloviation from the political class and talking-head punditry, but unless the provision is actually repealed the conspirators stand to collect a tidy reward for their effort to overturn Biden's 2020 victory. 

1. Like slime mold, deeds done in the dark die in the sunshine. We should spread word of this legislative atrocity to our friends and community, and raise it in our social media.

2. Each of us should contact our members of Congress (MoC) in both the Senate and the House urging them to repeal what some refer to as the "Arctic Frost" provision (from the name of the original investigation).
Use this call script to contact your members of Congress.

3. When ISF members meet with members of Congress, this issue should be mentioned to remind them they we're still paying attention to it. 

Thune secures provision in government funding bill letting senators sue for phone records seizure, Politico 11/10/25

What to know about the controversial "Arctic Frost" provision tucked into the funding bill that's dividing GOP lawmakers, CNN 11/17/25.