House hearing erupts as Jack Smith defends Trump prosecutions under fire

⚖️ Jack Smith defends Trump prosecutions, telling Congress he would bring the same charges again without hesitation.

🔥 Partisan fireworks erupt on Capitol Hill, as Republicans accuse Smith of political bias and Democrats defend 'rule of law.'

🏛️ Smith says Trump was central to a criminal conspiracy, arguing Jan. 6 would not have happened without him.

WASHINGTON — Former Justice Department special counsel Jack Smith forcefully defended his investigations of President Donald Trump on Thursday, insisting at a combative congressional hearing that politics played no role in his decisions and that he has no regrets about the criminal charges he brought.

Smith, who testified behind closed doors last month, returned to the House Judiciary Committee for his first public appearance since leaving the role last year. The hearing quickly split along party lines, with Republicans attacking Smith’s motives and Democrats framing the proceedings as a test of the rule of law.

Partisan clash erupts over Trump investigations

“It was always about politics,” said Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio, the Republican chairman of the committee.

“Maybe for them,” shot back Rep. Jamie Raskin of Maryland, the panel’s top Democrat. “But for us, it’s all about the rule of law.”

Smith said he stood by his decisions to bring charges accusing Trump of conspiring to overturn the 2020 presidential election and of improperly retaining classified documents at his Mar-a-Lago estate after leaving the White House.

“Our investigation developed proof beyond a reasonable doubt that President Trump engaged in criminal activity,” Smith said. “If asked whether to prosecute a former president based on the same facts today, I would do so regardless of party.”

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Smith says no one, including Trump, is above the law

“No one should be above the law in our country,” Smith told lawmakers. “The law required that he be held to account. So that is what I did.”

The hearing unfolded amid a broader Trump administration effort targeting investigators involved in the cases. The Justice Department has dismissed lawyers who worked with Smith, and a federal watchdog agency has opened an investigation into his conduct.

“These people are the best of public servants,” Smith said of his former team. “Our country owes them a debt of gratitude, and we are all less safe because many of them have been fired.”

Republicans accuse Smith of overreach and political motives

Republicans portrayed Smith as an overly aggressive prosecutor who had to be restrained by courts and superiors. Rep. Kevin Kiley of California accused Smith of seeking “maximum litigation advantage at every turn” and disregarding constitutional limits.

Lawmakers also questioned Smith about subpoenas for phone records of Republican members of Congress who spoke with Trump on Jan. 6, 2021. Smith said the records — which showed only call times and durations — were obtained to understand the “scope of the conspiracy” surrounding efforts to overturn the election.

Smith rejected claims that the prosecutions were aimed at derailing Trump politically, saying the evidence placed Trump at the center of the effort.

“The evidence here made clear that President Trump was by a large measure the most culpable and most responsible person in this conspiracy,” Smith said. “The attack that happened at the Capitol does not happen without him.”

A report on Smith’s classified documents investigation remains sealed by a Trump-appointed judge in Florida, and Trump’s lawyers are seeking to permanently block its release.

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