House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan (R-OH) is demanding that Jack Smith appear before the committee for a transcribed interview on his “politically motivated prosecutions” of President Donald Trump.
Jordan alleged in a letter to Smith’s office that the former special counsel conducted “politically motivated” investigations. Smith investigated Trump over his mishandling of classified documents and for his role in the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riot.
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“Since the beginning of the 118th Congress, the Committee has conducted oversight of the operations of the Office of Special Counsel you led—specifically, your team’s partisan and politically motivated prosecutions of President Donald J. Trump and his co-defendants,” Jordan wrote in the letter.
Jordan’s letter demanding Smith’s testimony comes after Deputy FBI Director Dan Bongino briefed lawmakers earlier this month, saying Smith’s team tracked phone records and calls of several GOP lawmakers in 2023 under an FBI investigation codenamed “Arctic Frost.” The effort included obtaining data on calls by Sens. Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Josh Hawley (R-MO), Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), Ron Johnson (R-WI), along with Rep. Mike Kelly (PA), according to supporting documents sent to Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-IA).
The House Judiciary Committee already conducted interviews with others from Smith’s office, such as former counselor to the special counsel Jay Bratt, former deputy special counsel J.P. Cooney, and former senior assistant special counsel Thomas Windom. Both Windom and Bratt invoked their Fifth Amendment rights in their testimonies before the committee.
House Judiciary Commitee ranking member Jamie Raskin (D-MD) welcomed the letter, as it requested a release of all documents, including those from his investigation into Trump’s documents at Mar-a-Lago.
“In a completely unexpected and welcome twist, Chairman Jordan’s letter today to Jack Smith clearly demands the release of Smith’s full report, and all accompanying records, from his investigation into Donald Trump’s hoarding of classified documents and obstruction of justice at Mar-a-Lago,” Raskin said in a statement.
“An extraordinary years-long MAGA cover-up has deprived the American public of the opportunity to read this special counsel report that the taxpayers paid for,” Raskin continued. “But Chairman Jordan, in demanding ‘all documents you sent…during your service as Special Counsel relating to your work, your investigation, your charging decisions…’ has finally taken a comprehensive stand for complete transparency and accountability. Congratulations.”
According to internal summaries, the task force “conducted preliminary toll analysis” of the lawmakers’ communications. While House and Senate Republicans have accused the bureau of spying on political opponents, FBI officials have said many records remain protected under grand jury secrecy rules. The Arctic Frost investigation began in April 2022.
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Along with a transcribed interview, the committee has requested all documents and communication relating to Smith’s appointment as special counsel, between him and any political appointee or Biden administration senior official referring or relating to his appointment as special counsel, and his service as special counsel, including his work, investigations, charging decisions, or tactics.
This interview request comes after Grassley said his committee would not hold oversight hearings into the work of Smith or the FBI’s Arctic Frost operation until the Justice Department releases more internal records about how federal agents tracked Republican senators during the Trump investigations.