Jack Smith's team slams Jim Jordan's 'dangerous' criminal referral

Key Points:

• House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan has called for a criminal investigation into Jack Smith, accusing him of lying to Congress by not disclosing certain text message content obtained during the Jan. 6 investigation.
• Smith's lawyers refuted the allegations, stating his testimony was truthful and warning that Jordan's theory could criminalize any witness who doesn't proactively disclose non-responsive information in congressional testimony.
• The dispute centers on Smith's December 2023 testimony about whether his investigative team sought or obtained content from congressional text messages while probing efforts to overturn the 2020 election.
• Jordan's committee is also examining whether Smith's team violated the Speech or Debate Clause by accessing communications between members of Congress, which are constitutionally protected.
• The DOJ has not commented on the investigation request, while Smith's lawyers argue the referral is politically motivated, noting Smith's efforts followed precedents set by past special prosecutors.