Former particular counsel Jack Smith is requesting that Congress and the Justice Department allow him to testify publicly, according to a new letter he despatched Thursday to the leaders of the House and Senate Judiciary committees.
Smith says he desires to testify “in open hearings” due to “the many mischaracterizations” round his investigations that led to legal fees in opposition to Donald Trump in 2023 for alleged mishandling categorised information and actions associated to the 2020 election outcomes.
The letter, obtained by NCS, displays a effervescent inquiry from Republicans in Congress who’ve accused Smith of wrongdoing in overseeing the prosecutors’ workplace. Smith has maintained he adopted all courtroom and Justice Department protocols.
Smith’s attorneys on Thursday instructed the Republican committee leaders, nevertheless, that he would want reassurance from the Justice Department that “he will not be punished” for testimony, since a few of the information of his particular workplace investigations are nonetheless below seal in courtroom or protected by grand jury secrecy guidelines.
Jack Smith’s attorneys are anticipated to formally search steerage from the Justice Department concerning potential congressional testimony, however haven’t performed so but, a supply acquainted to the plans instructed NCS.
The letter despatched Thursday by Smith’s attorneys to House Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan and Senate Judiciary Chairman Chuck Grassley additionally stated their consumer wanted “access” to the recordsdata created throughout his time as particular counsel “to provide full and accurate answers” to their questions.
Potential public hearings would give Smith his largest alternative but to defend the integrity of the two legal circumstances he introduced in opposition to Trump.
After Trump’s reelection final yr introduced a swift finish to Smith’s prosecutions, the former particular counsel has made few public feedback about the matter, although he’s been steadfast in his protection of how the historic legal circumstances had been dealt with.
During a current speak in London, he said the cases were untainted by politics and referred to as claims that they had been politically motivated “absolutely ludicrous.”
“The idea that politics would play a role in big cases like this, it’s absolutely ludicrous and it’s totally contrary to my experience as a prosecutor,” Smith stated.
This story is growing and will likely be up to date.