House Judiciary Chairman Refers Jack Smith to DOJ for False Statements

House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan has referred former special counsel Jack Smith to the Department of Justice (DOJ) for potential prosecution. Jordan accuses Smith of making false statements during his congressional testimony.

In a letter to acting Attorney General Todd Blanche on Wednesday, Jordan argued that newly released DOJ records contradict Smith’s statements about his office’s access to communications involving members of Congress during investigations of President Donald Trump.

Jordan urged the DOJ to determine whether Smith’s testimony violated federal laws on false statements. Newsweek reached out to the DOJ and Smith’s lawyers via email for comment.

Key Developments

The referral follows allegations from Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley. He claims to have records showing that Smith’s team accessed text messages of 44 members of Congress, including himself.

“I received records from DOJ confirming Jack Smith’s team reviewed texts from 44 MEMBERS OF CONGRESS. I’m one of them. I am alerting my colleagues and will release these records so the American people can see the evidence,” Grassley stated earlier this month.

Jordan notes that the records suggest investigators accessed some communications before a standard “filter team” review to protect privileged material. Republicans argue that this contradicts Smith’s testimony, which they say implied he had no access to privileged texts.

Democrat Jamie Raskin, ranking member on the House Judiciary Committee, criticized the referral. “This referral distorts facts, including the questions asked at Mr. Smith’s interview. Republicans criticize Mr. Smith for not offering information they didn’t request. He may be knowledgeable but not telepathic,” Raskin stated, according to Fox News.

Clarification on DOJ Referrals

A congressional criminal referral is not a charge. It requests the DOJ to assess the need for investigation or prosecution.

The DOJ’s course of action on Smith remains unclear. Smith has consistently defended his investigations into Trump as lawful.

Former Palm Beach County State Attorney Dave Aronberg told Newsweek that “This is performative politics posing as legal oversight. It bears no direct legal weight. A congressional referral is a partisan suggestion, not a criminal charge. The Justice Department may open an inquiry to appease the President, but this is not a legitimate criminal matter. Instead, it’s an attempt to use House committee oversight for political retaliation.”

This article is a developing story that will be updated with additional information.