House Republicans are threatening to subpoena special counsel Jack Smith for records related to his prosecution of former President Donald Trump, the Daily Caller has learned.
Republican Ohio Rep. Jim Jordan, Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, and Republican Arizona Rep. Andy Biggs wrote a letter to Smith on Thursday requesting various documents and communications in connection with the prosecution of Donald Trump and Smith’s staffing. (RELATED: Rep. Jim Jordan Subpoenas Merrick Garland)
READ THE LETTER:
“Accordingly, the Committee is conducting oversight in order to inform potential legislative reforms, including possible reforms regarding politically motivated prosecutions of current and former Presidents by federal prosecutors and disclosure requirements for Special Counsels and their staff,” the letter reads.
Reps. Jordan and Biggs cite the expansive search warrant Smith obtained for Donald Trump’s Twitter account and allegations of prosecutorial misconduct by top aide Jay Bratt.
The Republican lawmakers are demanding Smith turn over documents and communications among the special counsel’s office, the attorney general’s office and the deputy attorney general’s office. In addition, Jordan and Biggs seek documents and communications needed to identify Smith’s staff and evaluate his office’s hiring practices.
“If you do not produce documents responsive to these requests, the Committee may resort to compulsory process,” Jordan and Biggs added.
Jordan and Biggs are giving Smith until Jan. 4, 2024 to produce the documents listed in the Thursday letter and previous letters to Garland. (RELATED: EXCLUSIVE: Trump Calls To Federalize Washington DC So He Cannot Be Tried In Court)
Former US President and 2024 presidential hopeful Donald Trump speaks during a campaign event in Waterloo, Iowa, on December 19, 2023. An appeals court in Colorado on December 19, 2023 ruled Donald Trump cannot appear on the state’s presidential primary ballot because of his involvement in the attack on the Capitol in January 2021. (Photo by KAMIL KRZACZYNSKI / AFP) (Photo by KAMIL KRZACZYNSKI/AFP via Getty Images)
Smith is prosecuting Trump in Florida on 40 counts for allegedly mishandling classified documents after his presidency concluded. Trump’s Florida trial is scheduled to begin in May but Judge Aileen Cannon appears to be willing to delay his trial until after the 2024 presidential election.
Smith’s case against Trump in Washington, D.C. is connected to his conduct surrounding the 2020 presidential election and Jan. 6, 2021 Capitol riot. The special counsel is asking the Supreme Court to rule on Trump’s presidential immunity claims in the 2020 election case before the D.C. Court of Appeals can hear Trump’s appeal.
District Judge Tanya Chutkan agreed to pause legal proceedings pending Trump’s appeal when she denied Trump’s effort to dismiss the case based on presidential immunity claims.
Trump’s legal team has accused Smith of “unlawfully” attempting to speed up the case and urged the Supreme Court to deny Smith’s “partisan” request.
Smith responded to Trump in a Thursday court filing by arguing that his request is in the public interest.