Name: Jack Smith Defends Prosecutions Against Trump in House Hearing
Uploaded: 2026-01-24T10:53:06.000Z
Description: Former special counsel Jack Smith on Thursday defended his decision to bring criminal charges against President Donald Trump.

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Former special counsel Jack Smith on Thursday defended his decision to bring criminal charges against President Donald Trump.

During a public hearing with the House Judiciary Committee, Smith told lawmakers that investigators gathered proof that Trump committed “serious crimes,” Smith said during the public hearing.

The <a href="https://x.com/JudiciaryGOP/status/2014352939297747069?s=20">hearing</a> marked the first time the American public heard at length from Smith about his historic prosecutions.

Smith was <a href="https://www.justice.gov/archives/opa/pr/appointment-special-counsel-0">tapped by Attorney General Merrick Garland</a> in November 2022 to oversee two criminal investigations into Trump: one concerning efforts to overturn the 2020 election and obstruct the peaceful transfer of power, and another probing the unlawful retention and mishandling of classified documents at his Mar-a-Lago residence.

When pressed on possible retaliation for his investigations, the former special counsel also said he believes that the Trump administration “will do everything in their power” to prosecute him “because they’ve been ordered to by the president.”

But Smith also said he wouldn’t back down because of any threats and refused to be "intimidated" by attacks from the president.

Thursday’s public hearing comes after Smith testified behind closed doors last month.

Both of Smith’s criminal investigations into Trump resulted in federal charges, but the cases were ultimately dropped after Trump won re-election in 2024.

Trump, during the testimony, <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/115939889414201547">questioned</a> the legitimacy and integrity of Smith’s investigations.

The president suggested that Attorney General Pam Bondi look into what Smith has done, as well as the “corrupt witnesses” who were used to build those criminal cases against him.

Smith, during his testimony pointed out that the witnesses, including Trump’s own allies, played key roles in the investigations.

“Some of the most powerful witnesses were witnesses who, in fact, were fellow Republicans who had voted for Donald Trump, who had campaigned for him and who wanted him to win the election,” Smith told the panel.

Additionally, Smith told lawmakers that he doesn’t understand Trump’s mass pardons of those who were prosecuted after the Jan. 6, 2021, breach of the Capitol. Smith said the pardons don’t make the country any safer.

Republicans questioned Smith over a decision to obtain and analyze phone records of GOP lawmakers who were in contact with Trump on Jan. 6. But Smith described it as a "common practice" in a complex criminal probe.

<em>Reuters and The Associated Press contributed to this report.</em>

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