House Judiciary Committee Chair Launches Partisan Attack on Former Special Counsel Jack Smith
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In a blatant act of political retribution, Republican Rep. Jim Jordan has demanded the DOJ investigate former special counsel Jack Smith, accusing him of false testimony over congressional records. Democrats have condemned the move as baseless, highlighting the GOP's ongoing attempts to undermine accountability for Trump-era abuses.
Republican Rep. Jim Jordan, notorious for weaponizing his role as chair of the House Judiciary Committee, sent a politically motivated criminal referral to the Justice Department on Wednesday. Jordan is urging an investigation into former special counsel Jack Smith, claiming Smith made false statements to Congress about the scope of a subpoena for lawmakers’ records. Jordan accused Smith of making 'intentionally false statements designed to obstruct the Committee’s oversight,' and further alleged that Smith failed to disclose a subpoena to the National Archives that obtained text messages between former White House staff and members of Congress.
This referral comes after right-wing media hyped revelations that Smith’s team received text messages from the National Archives, contradicting Smith’s earlier testimony that his investigators only received toll-record data. In reality, toll records list call numbers but not content, and Smith’s team has maintained transparency throughout. Jordan asked Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche to review the matter, though the decision to pursue criminal charges ultimately lies with the DOJ.
A Justice Department spokesperson confirmed receipt of the referral and reiterated that the department will 'investigate all evidence of criminal conduct,' a standard response that does not indicate wrongdoing.
Smith’s attorneys forcefully defended his integrity, stating his testimony was 'unimpeachably truthful.' They clarified that the subpoena only sought toll-record information, and any text messages were disclosed to Trump’s lawyers, who raised no concerns about illegality. The attorneys also pointed out that the Speech or Debate Clause does not shield lawmakers from investigation when the probe concerns executive-branch officials.
Democratic Rep. Jamie Raskin, a member of the committee, denounced the referral as 'baseless and vindictive,' predicting it would be swiftly dismissed by a court. Meanwhile, right-wing Senator Chuck Grassley, who has a history of attacking investigations into Republican misconduct, called the discovery of the texts 'disturbing and outrageous,' suggesting—without evidence—that constitutional protections were bypassed.
Jack Smith, appointed by Attorney General Merrick Garland in 2022, led two critical DOJ probes into Donald Trump’s attempts to overturn the 2020 election and his mishandling of classified documents. Both cases, undermined by relentless Republican obstruction, ended without convictions in 2024. The current dispute is yet another example of the GOP’s efforts to shield Trump and his allies by targeting those who seek accountability.