The Office of Special Counsel (OSC) has confirmed the initiation of a formal investigation into Jack Smith, the former Special Counsel known for his involvement in criminal cases against ex-President Donald Trump. This development arises amidst accusations from Republican figures who have labeled Smith's actions as politically motivated.
Jack Smith's tenure as Special Counsel was marked by two significant probes into Donald Trump. The first investigation, which dealt with classified documents, was dismissed by Judge Aileen Cannon on the grounds that Smith's appointment contravened constitutional stipulations. The second investigation, which scrutinized Trump's challenges to the 2020 election results, suffered a blow from the Supreme Court's decision on presidential immunity, ultimately collapsing after Trump's re-election in November.
The investigation into Smith's conduct was disclosed through an email sent by Charles Baldis, Senior Counsel of the OSC’s Hatch Act Unit, which is responsible for enforcing regulations against federal employees engaging in political activities. This revelation was reported by Trending Politics, following the procurement of the email by the New York Post.
Arkansas Senator Tom Cotton was among the first to respond, commending the OSC for taking the matter seriously and asserting that Smith's actions appeared to be an attempt to impede President Trump's election campaign. Cotton has previously penned a letter to the OSC, accusing Smith of misusing his authority to influence the 2024 campaign in favor of the Biden and Harris campaigns, thus potentially engaging in illegal campaign activity from a public office.
In the wake of these allegations, Jack Smith resigned just before Trump's second inauguration in January. He has faced intense scrutiny from Trump's allies, who have accused him of election interference. President Trump himself has also criticized the prosecutions as illegitimate.
Further allegations against Smith have emerged from Senate Republicans. A letter addressed to Attorney General Pam Bondi contained claims from whistleblowers regarding Smith's close collaboration with Biden DOJ officials and anti-Trump FBI agents in an operation referred to as "Arctic Frost." Senator Chuck Grassley of Iowa highlighted concerns raised by other agents that the evidence at hand merited only a preliminary investigation, not a full field criminal inquiry.
Whistleblower testimonies also implicated the Biden White House in the controversial move to surrender the cell phones of Trump and former Vice President Mike Pence, neither of whom were subjects of the investigation at that time. Additionally, Smith's connections to Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis have come under fire. Willis, who brought a failed racketeering case against Trump regarding his Georgia election challenges, had previously claimed independence from Smith. However, subsequent communications revealed otherwise.
Republican legislators are now pointing to a pattern of conduct indicating a concerted effort among the Biden DOJ, left-wing prosecutors, and federal agents to target Trump. As Senator Cotton emphasized, "No one is above the law — not even Jack Smith."
In the wake of these developments, public reaction has been swift, with social media channels like Twitter witnessing an outpouring of responses to the announced investigation. A tweet from Gunther Eagleman encapsulates the sentiment of many Trump supporters, expressing gratitude towards the OSC for initiating the probe into Jack Smith's alleged misconduct.
