Justice Department Receives Referral to Investigate Jack Smith for Alleged Misconduct

The Republican chair of the House Judiciary Committee has called on the Justice Department to consider criminal charges against Jack Smith. This follows allegations that the former special counsel, who initiated legal action against President Trump, may have provided false information to Congress. The committee’s leading Democrat contests these claims.

Representative Jim Jordan from Ohio has made a criminal referral based on last year’s disclosure that investigators accessed phone records of several Republican lawmakers during the investigation into Mr. Trump’s post-2020 election activities. In a previous deposition, Smith stated that only ‘toll records’ were obtained, which document details like phone numbers, but not the content of communications.

However, last week, the Justice Department revealed that Smith’s team had procured text messages from Trump-era White House staff and numerous congressional members through a separate subpoena issued to the National Archives and Records Administration.

Jordan has accused Smith of providing ‘intentionally false statements’ and neglecting to report the subpoena to the National Archives. Jordan asserted that all individuals must abide by congressional investigations, including Smith.

“Mr. Smith’s actions were misleading and obstructive,” Jordan claimed in his letter to Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche.

Whether criminal charges will follow depends on the Justice Department’s assessment of this congressional referral. A spokesperson confirmed the department’s receipt of the referral and stated it would explore any evidence of illegal activity.

Rep. Jamie Raskin, the leading Democrat in the committee, dismissed the referral as ‘baseless and vindictive,’ predicting ridicule if presented before a court. He stated that Smith addressed the questions regarding subpoenas truthfully.

“Republicans unfairly blame Mr. Smith for not having foreseen the investigators’ queries,” Raskin insisted, highlighting the absurdity of expecting Smith to provide unsolicited information not requested by the committee.

CBS News has reached out to Smith’s representatives for further comments. This story is developing and will be updated as new information emerges.