Washington, D.C. — Former special counsel Jack Smith delivered his first public testimony before the House Judiciary Committee on Thursday, forcefully defending his criminal investigations into Donald Trump and stating that prosecutors gathered proof “beyond a reasonable doubt” that Trump committed crimes while attempting to overturn the 2020 presidential election.
Smith told lawmakers that Trump knowingly pushed false claims of widespread election fraud and used those lies as part of a criminal scheme aimed at disrupting the lawful certification of Joe Biden’s victory. While Trump was free to express opinions, Smith said, he crossed a legal line by weaponizing false statements to interfere with a core democratic process.
Appointed in late 2022, Smith oversaw two major federal investigations: Trump’s efforts to overturn the 2020 election and his retention of classified documents at Mar-a-Lago. Both cases were dropped after Trump won a second term, with Smith citing longstanding Justice Department policy barring prosecution of a sitting president. Before resigning, Smith completed detailed investigative reports.
Republican lawmakers focused much of their questioning on Smith’s decision to obtain phone toll records linked to Trump and several Republican senators who were pressured to block election certification. Smith rejected claims that the move violated free speech protections, noting the records were used solely to reconstruct timelines and did not include call content. He emphasized that none of the lawmakers were targets, adding bluntly, “I did not choose those members. President Trump did.”
Smith also pushed back against Trump’s repeated calls for his prosecution, noting there is no legal basis for criminal charges stemming from his work as special counsel.
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