Jack Smith Says He’s Willing To Testify Publicly About Trump Prosecutions On 1 Main Condition
His lawyers said the former special counsel is looking forward to setting the record straight on his investigations of the president.
Former special counsel Jack Smith, who helped secure two impeachments against Donald Trump, has expressed his willingness to testify before Congress in public hearings, provided the U.S. Department of Justice “guarantees that he will not be sanctioned for doing so.”
In a letter to Representative Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) and Senator Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), the respective chairmen of the House and Senate Judiciary Committees, Mr. Smith’s lawyers stated that their client wished to publicly clarify the facts regarding his work as a prosecutor in cases involving Mr. Trump.
“Given the numerous misinterpretations of Mr. Smith’s investigation into President Trump’s alleged mishandling of classified documents and his role in the attempt to overturn the results of the 2020 election, Mr. Smith respectfully requests the opportunity to testify at public hearings before the House and Senate Judiciary Committees,” the letter reads.
Attorneys Lanny Brewer and Peter Kouskey defended Smith’s investigation, saying he had complied with long-standing Justice Department guidelines. They added that Smith “is willing to answer questions regarding the Special Counsel’s investigation and his trial, but needs assurances from the Department of Justice that he will not be penalized for doing so.”
They added: “To this end, Mr. Smith needs guidance from the Department of Justice regarding the confidentiality requirements of the federal grand jury and the authorization of the topics he may discuss, particularly in connection with the second volume of the special counsel’s final report, which is not available to the public.”
While the Justice Department released Smith’s report on his decisions regarding charges related to the investigation into Trump’s interference in the 2020 election, a judge blocked the release of the second volume of the report, which deals with the investigation into classified documents.
Smith’s lawyers also requested access to the special counsel’s files so he could answer questions from lawmakers.
Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Maryland), a ranking member of the House Judiciary Committee, urged Jordan to accept Smith’s terms.
“I see no reason why the American people should not hear his testimony, under oath and cross-examined by members of both parties, and let all Americans judge for themselves the integrity of Mr. Smith’s investigations,” Raskin said in a statement.
Smith filed two lawsuits against Trump: one related to his alleged mishandling of classified documents, the other related to his attempts to overturn the 2020 election. Both cases were dismissed after Trump won the 2024 presidential election. Smith resigned in January after submitting his investigative report on Trump.
In a rare appearance in London earlier this month, Smith denied any allegations that his team’s work on both investigations was politically motivated.
