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Jim Jordan says House weighing criminal referral of Jack Smith for allegedly lying to Congress
Republican Congressman Jim Jordan said the House is considering a criminal referral against former special counsel Jack Smith, alleging he lied to Congress. Appearing on Fox News' "Hannity", Jordan pointed to Senate findings that Smith's investigative team had collected and read text messages belonging to members of Congress, which he characterised as a breach of constitutional rights. The claims add to ongoing Republican efforts to scrutinise Smith's conduct during his tenure overseeing federal investigations into Donald Trump.
Jordan, chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, cited the Senate's findings as the basis for his allegations, describing the alleged monitoring of lawmakers' texts as a form of "text voyeurism". He did not specify a timeline for any formal referral, and the article does not detail further evidence or a response from Smith.
In short
- Jim Jordan says House may pursue criminal referral against Jack Smith.
- Allegation: Smith's team read lawmakers' texts, plus lying to Congress.
- Claims raised by Jordan on Fox News' "Hannity" programme.
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Those supporting the referral would argue that if federal investigators improperly collected and reviewed members of Congress's private communications, this represents a serious constitutional violation and abuse of prosecutorial power warranting criminal accountability. They contend that if Smith misrepresented these actions to Congress, this compounds the abuse by suggesting an attempt to conceal overreach from legislative oversight, which is essential to preventing unchecked executive authority and protecting the separation of powers.
The case against
Those opposing the referral would contend that criminal referrals require clear evidence of wrongdoing and intent, neither of which has been substantiated in detail. They argue this reflects politically motivated retaliation against an official who investigated the former president, and that without understanding the investigative context and specific false statements allegedly made, rushing to criminal referral undermines legitimate prosecutorial independence and sets a concerning precedent for weaponising oversight against political opponents.
Explained simply
Jack Smith served as special counsel overseeing federal investigations into former President Donald Trump. His broad investigative authority during this role has made his conduct the subject of scrutiny from Republican lawmakers.
Republican Congressman Jim Jordan cited Senate findings indicating that Smith's team had collected and read text messages belonging to members of Congress. Jordan, who chairs the House Judiciary Committee, said the House is considering a criminal referral against Smith based on these alleged activities.
This reflects broader Republican efforts to scrutinise whether Smith's investigations stayed within proper legal bounds. The underlying question is whether his team's activities were appropriately authorised and whether they respected lawmakers' constitutional protections.