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The House of Representatives Judiciary has Transcript and video of former special counsel Jack Smith’s testimony released About his unprecedented criminal investigation into Donald Trump’s attempts to overturn the results of the 2020 election.
The Dec. 17 testimony chronicled Smith’s defense of his job against accusations of partisanship, shared insights into Trump’s response to the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol, and claimed trump card Want to take revenge on him.
Here are the key moments you need to know.
‘We could have been convicted’
period testimonySmith gave a confident assessment of the integrity of his work and his team’s chances of being convicted if allowed to stand trial.
The former special counsel, who resigned shortly before Trump took office, told lawmakers that Republicans are “largely” the ones “most responsible” for the alleged conspiracy to overturn the 2020 election results and the Jan. 6 Capitol riot that marked its shocking end.
“These crimes were committed for his benefit,” Smith said. “The attack on the Capitol was part of this case and would not have happened without him. Other co-conspirators did it for his benefit.”
Smith also pushed back against accusations that his work was politically motivated, saying he had never communicated with President Joe Biden or the White House about his case and would pursue the same investigation against Democrats.
“The timing and speed with which we worked reflected the strength of the evidence and our confidence in obtaining a conviction at trial,” Smith said. “If asked today whether to prosecute a former president based on the same facts, whether that president was a Republican or a Democrat, I would do so.”
Trump is “plundering” allies and putting the vice president’s life at risk
The testimony also highlighted the complex role Republicans played in the final moments of the 2020 campaign.
Smith said much of his office’s conspiracy case relies on evidence from Republican allies, including senior lawmakers in legislative chambers such as those in Michigan and Arizona who have seen firsthand how Republicans “exploit the partisan loyalty” of people who support him.
“Frankly, our argument is based on Republicans putting allegiance to country over party,” Smith said.
Smith went on to say that the same loyalty does not extend from Trump to his top allies.
Former special prosecutor claims January 6 Presidential Tweet Attacking Vice President Threats to Mike Pence’s life during the Capitol riots escalated over his decision to “unquestionably” not obstruct the election results. MAGA supporters during riots Shouts can be heard“Hang Mike Pence!” and Just a few steps away from the blocked senior officials.
A president eager for “revenge”
Smith warned that the Justice Department may drop its case against Trump after the president wins re-election, but that may not be the end of the special counsel’s saga.
The prosecutor told lawmakers he had no doubt Trump wanted revenge.
“So I keep my eyes open that this president will seek retribution against me if he can,” Smith said. “I know.”
Some of that retaliation appears to have already occurred. In January, the Trump administration Quickly fired more than a dozen Justice Department officials who worked on the investigation Enter Trump. The president also law firms under threat The Trump investigation has ties to prominent Democrats, including Covington & Burling, a law firm that employs attorneys who have represented Smith.
Trump administration Action has also been taken against other law enforcement officers, but so far unsuccessfully Those involved in the investigation or prosecution of Trump include former FBI Director James Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James, After receiving a direct call from President Trump for such situations.
Smith added that it would be “catastrophic” for democracy if more people were able to interfere in elections without facing legal consequences.
Controversial phone records shed more light
Smith also used his testimony to refute what he called “false and misleading” Republicans claim he mistakenly wiretapped their phone records.
The former special counsel said his investigation legally obtained charging records documenting the phone numbers and length of calls, but not the content, because the White House had been contacting lawmakers through Jan. 6 to advance its alleged election conspiracy.
“Well, I think the person who is responsible for this is Donald Trump. These records are people, and as far as the senator is concerned, Donald Trump directed his co-conspirators to call these people to further delay the proceedings. He chose to do that,” Smith said. “If Donald Trump had chosen to call some Democratic senators, we would have had records of the Democratic senators’ calls.”
A president who won’t stop the violence or accept the realities of the election
Smith’s testimony painted a picture of Trump’s willful blindness to reality, his disregard for election-related laws and his refusal to stop the violence on January 6.
“There’s been a pattern in our case that any time any information comes out that means he can no longer be president, he rejects it,” Smith said. “Any theory, no matter how far-fetched, no matter how legally unfounded, that suggests he can, he’s going to pursue it.”
That stubbornness continued until Jan. 6, Smith said.
“Now, once they get to the Capitol, once the Capitol is attacked, he refuses to stop it,” Smith testified.
“When violence occurred, his staff had to repeatedly push him to do whatever it took to quell it.”
The president has yet to respond publicly to Smith’s testimony.