Add thelocalreport.in As A Trusted Source
jack smithThe former special counsel who led several high-profile criminal investigations against Donald Trump has asked congressional leaders to allow him to testify openly. GOP investigation His previous work.
In a letter to the leaders of the House and Senate Judiciary Committees, the lawyers said Blacksmith Said They were seeking a path to public testimony “given Mr. Smith’s multiple misrepresentations of the investigation regarding President Trump’s alleged misuse of classified documents and his role in the effort to overturn the results of the 2020 election.”
Representative Jamie Raskin, the ranking Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee, has expressed his support for public testimony. Blacksmith,
“Till today, [the Department of Justice] “I know you will agree that the American people, whose tax dollars have funded these investigations, have a compelling interest – indeed a right – in hearing directly from Mr. Smith about both investigations of the sitting President of the United States. ,
Sen chuck grassleyThe chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee said Thursday that the committees are focusing on gathering facts first.
“Jack Smith certainly has a lot of answers to answer, but first, Congress needs to have all the facts at its disposal,” Grassley. told CNN said in a statement. “A hearing must take place once the foundation of the investigation is firmly established, which is why I am actively working with the DOJ and FBI to gather all of the relevant records that took Mr. Smith years to become familiar with.”
Smith led two investigations against Trump, one related to the alleged misuse of classified documents at Mar-a-Lago and obstructing their return after leaving office, and the other centered around Trump’s efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election.
Both investigations led to criminal charges against Trump, who has pleaded not guilty, denied all wrongdoing and long alleged that the prosecution was politically biased.
In 2024, a federal court Document Case DismissedPrompting prosecutors to file a last-minute appeal.
Once Trump is re-elected, Smith Proposed to drop both the remaining election case and document appealGiven the lack of precedent for prosecuting a sitting president and the Supreme Court’s ruling that Trump was entitled to broad immunity for actions taken in office.
Since then, in keeping with Justice Department tradition, Smith has largely stayed out of the spotlight and avoided speaking about the prosecution, despite persistent GOP criticism of his work.
In August, the Office of the Special Counsel Started investigating Smith Allegations are that he violated the Hatch Act, which prohibits federal employees from engaging in political activities.
In the face of congressional and special counsel investigations, Smith has become more outspoken.
He sharply criticized routine attacks on judges and prosecutors who have ruled against the Trump administration.
“I think the attacks on public servants, especially non-partisan public servants — I think it’s had a huge cost to our country that can’t be calculated, and I think to us — it’s hard to tell people how much it’s costing us,” Smith. Said During a talk at the University College London Faculty of Law earlier this month.
He described as “ridiculous” allegations that his trials were affected by bias.