Jack Smith Tells Congress He Had ‘Proof Beyond Reasonable Doubt’ Trump Committed Crimes, Sparks Fierce GOP Backlash

Former special counsel Jack Smith told the House Judiciary Committee on Thursday that his investigation produced “proof beyond a reasonable doubt” that President Donald Trump committed criminal acts, defending his decisions to bring charges in the now-abandoned federal cases against Trump.

Smith testified publicly after previously appearing in a closed-door deposition with the committee in December. In his opening remarks, he rejected claims from Republicans that his work was politically motivated or designed to block Trump’s return to the White House. “I stand by my decisions as special counsel, including the decision to bring charges against President Trump,” Smith said. “No one should be above the law in this country.”

Smith oversaw two federal prosecutions against Trump during the Biden administration: one involving the handling of classified documents at Mar-a-Lago and another focused on Trump’s actions following the 2020 election. Both cases were dropped after Trump won the 2024 election, in line with longstanding Justice Department policy against prosecuting a sitting president.

House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan pushed back sharply, arguing that Smith’s conduct demonstrated political bias. Jordan criticized the timing of the prosecutions and accused Smith of attempting to accelerate legal proceedings ahead of the 2024 election to influence public opinion.

Jordan also raised questions about the credibility of witnesses used during the Jan. 6 investigations, particularly former White House aide Cassidy Hutchinson. Hutchinson had testified that Trump attempted to grab the steering wheel of his vehicle on Jan. 6, 2021, an account disputed by other individuals present. Smith acknowledged his team had spoken with witnesses who challenged that version of events but said prosecutors were still evaluating evidence when considering potential testimony.

Smith defended the overall integrity of his investigation, insisting that his decisions were driven solely by the law and the evidence. “I had no partisan loyalties,” he told lawmakers.

Smith was appointed special counsel by then-Attorney General Merrick Garland in November 2022, shortly after Trump announced his 2024 presidential campaign. The appointment and subsequent prosecutions became a focal point of Republican claims that the Justice Department had been politicized.

The hearing underscored the continuing political divide over the investigations into Trump, even after voters returned him to office and effectively rendered the federal cases moot.

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