The federal government has reportedly initiated an investigation into special prosecutor Jack Smith, who was involved in the criminal case against President Trump in 2022.
The U.S. Special Advisors Office announced on Saturday that it will look into potential violations by Smith regarding political involvement restrictions placed on government employees.
A request for comment from The Hill went unanswered by the office.
This investigation follows earlier claims from Trump and his supporters that Smith had acted unlawfully in pursuing Trump, allegedly to obstruct his second presidential campaign.
Notably, Smith was appointed by former Attorney General Merrick Garland just three days before Trump declared his intention to run for re-election.
Despite this, GOP lawmakers are contending that Smith’s actions warrant scrutiny.
Senator Tom Cotton (R-ARK) criticized Smith, asserting that his legal maneuvers constituted unethical—and possibly illegal—campaigning from a public position. He made these remarks in a recent social media post.
Cotton also pointed out that Smith sought to expedite the trial against Trump just two weeks prior to the Iowa Caucus, suggesting that such a complex case typically wouldn’t be rushed to trial.
In response to the criticism, Smith has staunchly defended his actions.
He stated, “The ultimate decision to bring charges against Trump was mine, and I fully stand by it,” during his final report in mid-January.
Smith dismissed Trump’s accusations that his prosecutorial decisions were influenced by the Biden administration or political figures, calling such claims ridiculous.
Following Trump’s victory in November, Smith resigned from the Department of Justice (DOJ) and dropped charges related to the presidential election, believing that a legal battle would have resulted in Trump being convicted.
Smith also argued that Trump’s efforts to undermine the election process were based on false claims of fraud, damaging the very foundation of democracy in the United States.
“This democratic process had functioned peacefully for over 130 years until Trump derailed it,” he noted.
Earlier this month, Attorney General Pam Bondy terminated 20 additional employees associated with Smith shortly before the Special Advisors Office announced its investigation into prosecutorial actions.
Independent agencies hold the authority to investigate Smith and recommend disciplinary actions against federal employees, which can lead to criminal charges being presented to the DOJ based on investigators’ findings.
