Republicans urge Justice Department to investigate Jack Smith : NPR

Key Points:

• House Republicans, led by Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan, have urged the Justice Department to criminally investigate former special counsel Jack Smith for allegedly making false statements under oath about efforts to obtain phone records of lawmakers.
• The referral is part of a broader effort by Trump allies in Congress to target individuals involved in investigations of former President Trump, with previous attempts to pursue cases against figures like Jim Comey and Letitia James.
• Smith oversaw two criminal probes of Trump related to the 2020 election and classified documents, both ending without trial after Trump’s 2024 election victory; Smith’s lawyers deny any wrongdoing, asserting he answered questions truthfully.
• Democrats, including Rep. Jamie Raskin, have dismissed the referral as baseless and politically motivated, emphasizing that Republicans never asked Smith the specific questions central to their accusations.
• The controversy centers on subpoenas Smith issued for phone records and text messages involving lawmakers and White House officials from six years ago, with Republicans criticizing Smith for not voluntarily disclosing certain details during testimony.