In a highly anticipated congressional appearance, former Special Counsel Jack Smith delivered a robust defense of his investigations into Donald Trump during a tense House Judiciary Committee hearing on Thursday. The televised session provided Smith with a national platform to articulate his case despite never having the opportunity to present it in court.
Smith asserted that his team had compiled ‘proof beyond a reasonable doubt’ demonstrating that the former president orchestrated a ‘criminal scheme’ to subvert the 2020 election results. ‘Rather than accepting his electoral defeat, President Trump engaged in systematic criminal activities to overturn the outcome and prevent the constitutional transfer of power,’ Smith testified.
The special counsel, appointed in 2022 by Attorney General Merrick Garland, emphasized that his charging decisions were made ‘without regard to President Trump’s political association, activities, beliefs, or 2024 presidential candidacy.’ Smith brought two major cases against Trump—one concerning election interference and another regarding mishandling of classified documents—both of which were discontinued following Trump’s November 2024 election victory, consistent with Justice Department policy against prosecuting sitting presidents.
The hearing revealed stark partisan divisions. Committee Chairman Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) accused Smith of orchestrating a politically motivated campaign ‘to get President Trump’ and prevent his return to the White House. ‘The good news is the American people saw through it,’ Jordan declared.
In contrast, Representative Jamie Raskin (D-Md.) praised Smith’s professionalism, noting that Trump’s criticisms stemmed from the prosecutor having ‘pursued the facts and followed the law.’ Smith maintained that he would have made identical charging decisions regardless of the subject’s political affiliation, stating: ‘No one should be above the law in this country.’
The appearance follows Smith’s closed-door testimony last month and occurs against the backdrop of Trump’s continued verbal attacks, including recent characterizations of the prosecutor as ‘deranged.’