A key Republican lawmaker, Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio, has referred special counsel Jack Smith to the Justice Department for possible prosecution, alleging that Smith may have lied to Congress during his testimony about the investigation of President Donald Trump.
Background of the Investigation
Smith, who was leading the investigation into Trump’s efforts to overturn his 2020 presidential election loss, was asked during closed-door testimony about subpoenas issued for the toll records of some Republican lawmakers. He denied that the toll records included the content of phone calls or text messages.
However, newly released records from Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa show that Smith had obtained the contents of 44 lawmakers’ text messages in a separate subpoena to the National Archives and Records Administration. This has led Jordan to accuse Smith of providing misleading answers during his testimony.
Response from Smith’s Lawyers
Lawyers for Smith have denied the allegations, stating that his answers were ‘unimpeachably truthful’ and that he was responding explicitly to questions about toll records, which did not include the contents of any text messages.
The Justice Department has confirmed receipt of the referral and stated that it ‘will investigate all evidence of criminal conduct.’ This development is part of the ongoing saga surrounding the investigation into President Trump and the actions of special counsel Jack Smith.
Original reporting: KTSA News/Talk (San Antonio) — read the source article.
