House Judiciary Committee chair Jim Jordan is hinting at the possibility of calling former special counsel Jack Smith to testify over his investigations of President-elect Donald Trump, telling reporters that "everything is on the table."
Jordan has repeatedly made such statements, even sending a letter to Smith's office before he resigned asking that all records related to his investigations into Trump be preserved.
The letter raised concerns that documents could disappear given Trump's victory in the election. "With President Trump's decisive victory this week, we are concerned that the Office of Special Counsel may attempt to purge relevant records," it said.
A formal call for Smith to testify the committee could materialize after Trump takes office next week. Jordan has repeatedly accused him of leading a politicized investigation.
Smith resigned last week after wrapping up his investigations of Trump after his election, following a longstanding tradition from the Department of Justice to not investigate sitting presidents.
His report was released for public consumption, however, saying that the DOJ's "view that the Constitution prohibits the continued indictment and prosecution of a President is categorical and does not turn on the gravity of the crimes charged, the strength of the Government's proof, or the merits of the prosecution, which the Office stands fully behind."
"For Mr. Trump's election and imminent return to the Presidency, the (Special Counsel's) Office assessed that the admissible evidence was sufficient to obtain and sustain a conviction at trial."
Trump, who returns to the White House on January 20, had been accused of conspiracy to defraud the United States and conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding -- the session of Congress called to certify President Joe Biden's election win but which was violently attacked on January 6, 2021 by a mob of the Republican's supporters.
Soon after the report's overnight release, Trump hit back on his Truth Social platform, calling Smith "deranged", and adding that he "was unable to successfully prosecute the Political Opponent of his 'boss'."
Pam Bondi, nominated by Trump to be his attorney general, also didn't rule out investigating Smith. Pressed by Senator Adam Schiff (D-CA), Bondi emphasized the need for a factual basis before launching any investigation. "It would be irresponsible of me to make a commitment without looking at the facts," Bondi stated.
"What I'm hearing on the news is horrible. Do I know if he committed a crime? I have not looked," she replied when asked directly if she was aware of any factual predicate to investigate Smith.
The exchange grew more heated when Schiff questioned Bondi about President-elect Trump's public call to jail Liz Cheney. Bondi dismissed the inquiry as speculative. "That's a hypothetical, and I'm not going to answer," she stated.
Senator Schiff challenged Bondi's refusal to answer, suggesting it implied she might not have the independence to oppose the president's demands. "What you're suggesting today by your non-answer is that you don't have the power to say no to the president," Schiff asserted.
© 2024 Latin Times. All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
