Republicans in Congress Urge Justice Department to Investigate Former Prosecutor Jack Smith

Politics Republicans in Congress Urge Justice Department to Investigate Former Prosecutor Jack Smith July 23, 202610:12 AM ET Carrie Johnson Former US special counsel Jack Smith leaves after testifying before the House Judiciary Committee about his investigations into President Donald Trump, on January 22, 2026. SAUL LOEB/via Getty Images/AFP hide caption toggle caption SAUL LOEB/via Getty Images/AFP House Republicans are urging the Justice Department to launch a criminal investigation into former special counsel Jack Smith, alleging that Smith made false statements last year about his effort to gather phone records of lawmakers. House Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan, a Republican from Ohio, wrote DOJ late Wednesday to argue Smith "seemingly made willfully and intentionally false statements" when he answered questions under oath last December. The criminal referral of Smith marks yet another step in a campaign by the Trump administration and its allies in Congress to pursue people who once investigated Trump. The Justice Department already has attempted to initiate criminal cases against former FBI Director Jim Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James. Sponsor Message Smith has been a frequent target of Trump's ire on social media. "Justice at last???" Trump posted in the early morning hours Thursday amid news of the criminal referral. Smith, a former head of the Justice Department's public integrity unit, oversaw two criminal probes of Trump. Grand juries indicted Trump for alleged interference in the 2020 election and for allegedly refusing to turn over classified materials he had collected at his Mar a Lago resort. Both cases ended before any trial could occur, partly because Trump won the 2024 election and headed back to the White House. Lawyers for Jack Smith released their own letter to Jordan and the DOJ last night asserting he provided "truthful, responsive answers" to Congress last year. "This referral reflects a chilling eagerness to weaponize the j...