Jack Smith defends investigations into Trump during tense US Senate hearing
Also reported by PBS NewsHour
Summary
Special Counsel Jack Smith defended his investigations into President Donald Trump during a Senate hearing. He said his work followed Justice Department rules and was based on evidence, responding to Republican criticism of his investigative methods.Key Facts
- Jack Smith was appointed as Special Counsel in 2022 to investigate President Trump’s actions after his first term.
- Smith brought two criminal charges against Trump: one for trying to change the 2020 election results and another for handling classified documents improperly.
- Two other criminal cases against Trump were in New York and Georgia, focusing on different allegations, with only the New York case going to trial and ending in felony convictions.
- Smith resigned in January 2025 before Trump’s second inauguration, as the Justice Department does not prosecute sitting presidents.
- Republicans questioned Smith’s use of subpoenas for phone records of Congress members and financial information from Republican donors.
- Smith said the phone records helped prove contacts related to efforts to delay certification of the 2020 election and defended not notifying lawmakers to avoid evidence destruction.
- Smith accused the Trump administration of firing team members who worked on the investigations, leading to legal challenges by former FBI agents.
- President Trump denied all charges and called the investigations a political attack involving Smith and President Joe Biden.
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