On Thursday, January 22nd, former special prosecutor Jack Smith testified publicly before the House Judiciary Committee for the first time regarding his investigation and prosecution of President Trump.
Congressman Jim Jordan accused Smith during the hearing of “using every means to bring down Trump.”
Smith, appointed by former Attorney General Garland, conducted investigations into Trump’s alleged interference in the 2020 election and the mishandling of confidential documents that led to the FBI raid on Mar-a-Lago, resulting in two charges against Trump, all of which Trump denies.
This was Smith’s first public testimony regarding his investigation of President Trump. During the hearing, Republican members questioned the legality and impartiality of Smith’s investigations into Trump.
Congressman Jordan stated, “All of this is political, they will do anything to bring down Trump.”
Jordan first highlighted Smith’s action in 2023 of seizing two-year-old phone records of then-House Speaker Kevin Owen McCarthy. He then mentioned the monitoring of Republicans, dating back to 2016, in relation to Trump’s campaign activities, implicating a chain of events leading to surveillance and investigations.
Jordan argued that these actions directly contributed to the Mueller investigation, the first impeachment, the indictment by District Attorney Alvin Bragg, and raids on Trump’s residences.
Jordan stressed that Smith’s appointment itself was problematic, citing instances of team members involved in raiding Trump’s residence and illegally obtaining phone records of Congress members.
Regarding a gag order application against Trump during his election campaign, Jordan emphasized that the Supreme Court ruled in favor of Trump’s immunity for official acts, highlighting the lack of judicial fairness.
Jordan asserted, “This has nothing to do with judicial justice,” accusing the resources used to obstruct Trump as an attack on his presidency.
Meanwhile, Democratic Congressman Becca Balint of Vermont defended and supported Smith during the hearing.
When asked if Trump’s Justice Department would find a way to prosecute him, Smith bluntly stated, “I believe they would do their utmost because they are ordered by the president to do so.”
Smith stood by his investigative decisions during the hearing, claiming impartiality and defending his actions regarding obtaining phone records.
During the hearing, Trump posted on the social media platform “Truth Social,” stating that Smith was being “destroyed” before Congress and that the discussion of his past failures and unfair prosecutions would lead to his downfall.
Trump added, “If he were a Republican, his license would be revoked, or worse,” indicating concern for the Attorney General’s attention to Smith’s actions.