House Judiciary Committee Chair Jim Jordan has formally demanded that former special counsel Jack Smith testify before his panel, citing the need for oversight into potential misconduct by the Biden-Harris Justice Department. Jordan, an Ohio Republican, sent a letter on Tuesday to Smith, who led the investigation into former President Donald Trump’s efforts to subvert the 2020 election results. This probe, which culminated in the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol attack, has sparked significant political scrutiny as it became evident that Smith’s investigation obtained the phone records of multiple sitting Republican lawmakers.
Jordan’s letter accused Smith of failing to respond to earlier requests for documents, which he claims indicates a pattern of prosecutorial misconduct and constitutional abuses. The GOP’s targeting of Smith comes amid broader efforts to portray the Biden DOJ as retributive against former Trump allies. Meanwhile, Trump, who remains in the White House, is leveraging his influence over the Justice Department to challenge his political adversaries, including New York Attorney General Letitia James and former FBI director James Comey. Both were recently indicted and denied the allegations of wrongdoing.
Senate Republicans are also calling for an investigation into the collection of lawmakers’ phone records by Smith, though Senate Judiciary Chair Chuck Grassley has yet to commit to holding hearings on the matter. A lawyer representing Smith has not yet responded to requests for comment. As the political tensions escalate, the outcome of Smith’s potential testimony could significantly impact the ongoing debate over the conduct of federal law enforcement during high-profile investigations.