The Office of Special Counsel, an independent federal agency, has launched an investigation into Jack Smith, the former special prosecutor who led two cases against Donald Trump. The allegations against Smith include claims of illegal political activity, as reported by US media outlets such as The Associated Press and NBC News. Trump and his Republican allies, including Senator Tom Cotton, have accused Smith of violating the Hatch Act, a federal law that bans certain public officials from engaging in political activity.
Cotton, in a social media post, accused Smith of being a “partisan Democrat who weaponized the law” against Trump in the lead-up to the 2024 US presidential election. “I’ve asked the Office of Special Counsel to investigate his actions that likely violated the law to influence the election,” Cotton wrote.
Smith was appointed as special counsel to investigate Trump by then-Attorney General Merrick Garland in November 2022. He led two federal cases into Trump’s alleged mishandling of classified government documents and his efforts to overturn the 2020 election results.
Smith ultimately dropped the cases after Trump was re-elected in November 2024, which would have shielded him from prosecution under a longstanding Justice Department practice. US prosecutors had previously stated that if Trump had not won the 2024 race, he would have been convicted for “criminal efforts to retain power” following the 2020 election. The White House has not provided immediate comment on the Office of Special Counsel’s investigation into Smith.
The investigation into Smith comes amid a broader context of political tensions and allegations of partisan bias in the US justice system. Trump’s claims of political persecution have been echoed by his supporters, while his detractors argue that he is above the law. The outcome of this investigation could have implications for the integrity of the US justice system and the rule of law.