House Judiciary Committee Requests Investigation into Former Special Counsel

Request for Investigation

Jim Jordan, the top Republican on the House Judiciary Committee, has sent a letter to the Justice Department. He is seeking a criminal investigation into former special counsel Jack Smith. Allegedly, Smith made false statements during a congressional deposition last year.

Jordan addressed acting Attorney General Todd Blanche in his letter. He accused Smith of making willful and intentional false statements that contradict new documents obtained by the Senate Judiciary Committee. The committee found what they describe as ‘strong evidence’ against Smith.

The Justice Department has confirmed receipt of the referral. A spokesperson stated that they will investigate any evidence of criminal conduct.

Denial of Wrongdoing

Smith has been a target of President Donald Trump due to his prosecutions of the former president. In response, attorneys for Smith denied any falsehoods in his deposition. They stated that Smith provided truthful and responsive answers and candidly discussed his role as Special Counsel.

“The referral is made not because Mr. Smith made a false statement … but because he did not proactively disclose information that was not responsive to a question asked,” write attorneys Peter Koski and Lanny Breuer.

Background of Investigations

As Special Counsel, Smith oversaw two investigations starting in 2022. These focused on election interference in the 2020 election and allegations of Trump mishandling classified documents. Trump denied any wrongdoing and both cases were dismissed in 2024 after his re-election.

During Smith’s deposition before the committee on December 17, he was asked pertinent questions. He stated he did not recall seeking a search warrant for text messages from Members of Congress and confirmed asking for only toll records.

Political Reactions

Rep. Jamie Raskin, the committee’s ranking member, criticized Jordan’s referral. He stated it misstates the facts, including the questions Republicans asked Smith during his interview. Raskin explained that Smith was not questioned about certain presidential records.

Senate Republicans recently obtained documents revealing that Smith’s team reviewed text messages from 44 Congress members during Trump’s first term. These records were from the National Archives and included messages from both political parties.

Senate Judiciary Committee members, including Chairman Chuck Grassley, argued that Smith’s actions violated constitutional protections. Grassley emphasized that Smith would need to respond to these concerns before the Senate Judiciary Committee.