Former Special Counsel Jack Smith to Testify Publicly Before House Judiciary Committee
Jack Smith, the former special counsel who led two high-profile investigations into President Donald Trump, is set to testify publicly before the House Judiciary Committee later this month, marking a rare and closely watched appearance on Capitol Hill.
The committee confirmed that Smith will appear at a public hearing on January 22, following a closed-door deposition he gave in December in which he defended his handling of the criminal cases against the president. That earlier testimony, which lasted more than eight hours, was later released by the committee in transcript and video form.
Smith has sought the opportunity to address lawmakers in a public setting, according to people familiar with the matter, despite the political risks involved. President Trump has repeatedly accused Smith of misconduct and has called for him to face prosecution over his role in the investigations.
During his private testimony, Smith said he personally authorized the decision to bring charges against Trump, stressing that the legal actions were based solely on the former president’s conduct as outlined in multiple indictments returned by grand juries in different jurisdictions.
House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan, who subpoenaed Smith last year, has accused the former special counsel of pursuing a politically motivated investigation and engaging in improper surveillance of lawmakers. Smith has denied those claims, maintaining that his actions were guided strictly by the law and established prosecutorial standards.
Smith was appointed special counsel by Attorney General Merrick Garland in late 2022 after Trump announced his return to the political arena. He oversaw two major cases — one related to efforts to overturn the 2020 election results and another involving the handling of classified documents.
Both cases ended without a trial. The classified documents prosecution was dismissed after a federal judge ruled that Smith’s appointment was unlawful, while the election-related case was dropped following a Supreme Court ruling that reshaped presidential immunity and Trump’s subsequent re-election.
Smith’s upcoming public testimony is expected to reignite debate over the independence of federal prosecutors, the limits of political accountability, and the role of Congress in overseeing high-profile criminal investigations.
As Washington braces for another contentious hearing, the appearance could further deepen divisions over the legacy of the investigations — and the broader question of how the justice system should handle cases involving sitting and former presidents.
