House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan filed a criminal complaint with the Justice Department against former special counsel Jack Smith. Jordan alleged that Smith gave misleading testimony to Congress and attempted to obstruct the investigation.
The complaint centers on Smith's testimony to the committee in December, where he said he did not access lawmakers' message contents. However, documents released last week by Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley revealed that Smith's team read the text messages of 44 lawmakers and White House staff.
Targeted Names and Alleged Protocol Violation
The lawmakers targeted in the documents include Jordan and Grassley, as well as the late Senator Lindsey Graham, Senator Susan Collins, House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, and Senator Cory Booker. Former Vice President Mike Pence, Deputy White House Chief of Staff Stephen Miller, FBI Director Kash Patel, and Ivanka Trump were also said to be affected.
Grassley's office also found that Smith's team violated investigative protocols by accessing messages that had not been reviewed by a "filter team" designed to prevent access to privileged information.
Jordan's Letter and Democratic Response
In a letter to Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, Jordan wrote, "All individuals have an obligation to comply with a duly authorized congressional investigation. Smith, a former public official, is no different." Jordan noted that Smith's testimony contained "deliberately false statements designed to obstruct the committee's oversight" and that the Justice Department should examine whether these actions constitute criminal offenses.
The committee's top Democrat, Jamie Raskin, criticized Jordan's complaint. Raskin said, "This referral deliberately distorts and misrepresents the facts, including what Republicans actually asked Smith during his interview. Republicans are blaming Smith for not reading the minds of congressional investigators and for not volunteering information they didn't ask for. This is absurd. Smith may be telegenic, but he is not telepathic."
Justice Department Promises Review
The Justice Department confirmed receipt of the complaint, stating, "The Department confirms receipt of the criminal referral from the House Judiciary Committee and will investigate all evidence of criminal conduct."
