Jack Smith hit with criminal referral as GOP moves testimony fight toward prosecution

FIRST ON FOX: Former Biden typical counsel Jack Smith could look imaginable criminal prosecution aft Republicans accused nan ex-prosecutor of misleading Congress astir nan scope of his investigation into President Donald Trump.

House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, issued a criminal referral of Smith connected Wednesday, arguing recently released records contradict Smith's grounds to his committee that he did not get aliases reappraisal lawmakers' matter messages during his aggregate probes into President Donald Trump.

"All individuals person an responsibility to comply pinch a duly authorized legislature inquiry. Mr. Smith, a erstwhile nationalist servant, is nary different," Jordan wrote successful a missive to acting Attorney General Todd Blanche connected Wednesday. "Yet his grounds included intentionally mendacious statements designed to obstruct nan Committee’s oversight."

"His behaviour tin only beryllium understood arsenic an effort to thwart nan Committee’s enquiry by intentionally making mendacious statements and representations earlier Congress," Jordan continued, adding that nan Justice Department should analyse whether Smith's actions warrant criminal charges.

Former US typical counsel Jack Smith, testifies earlier nan House Judiciary Committee astir his investigations into President Donald Trump, successful nan Rayburn House Office Building connected Capitol Hill successful Washington, D.C., connected Jan. 22, 2026. (SAUL LOEB / AFP via Getty Images)

VETERAN DEM BREAKS PARTY LINE AS JACK SMITH SPYING SCANDAL GRIPS CAPITOL HILL

Jordan’s missive accused Smith of making mendacious statements during a December deposition earlier nan House Judiciary Committee. Specifically, Jordan based on that "responses provided by Mr. Smith gave nan belief that neither Mr. Smith nor his squad had entree to nan contented of members’ privileged matter messages."

"We now cognize this to beryllium false," nan missive said.

The referral comes aft Smith faced mounting scrutiny from Republicans complete allegedly weaponizing nan Justice Department and violating law privateness protections during his investigations into alleged interference during nan 2020 predetermination and Trump’s handling of classified documents.

He has denied immoderate wrongdoing.

Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, released documents past week showing Smith's squad publication nan matter messages of 44 members of Congress from some parties arsenic good arsenic White House unit during its investigation.

Targeted lawmakers included Jordan and Grassley successful summation to nan precocious Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La., and Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J.

Meanwhile, Trump officials who were impacted included erstwhile Vice President Mike Pence, White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller, FBI Director Kash Patel and Ivanka Trump, among others successful nan president's orbit during his first term.

Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, leaves nan U.S. Capitol aft nan past votes of nan week connected Thursday, June 11, 2026. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)

BIDEN SPECIAL COUNSEL’S 'RUNAWAY TRAIN’ SCOOPED UP SENSITIVE LAWMAKER INFO: 'ABUSE OF POWER'

Grassley's agency besides recovered that Smith's squad appeared to violate investigative protocols by accessing matter messages that had not been reviewed by a "filter team" — a safeguard designed to forestall investigators from accessing privileged information, according to nan documents.

When Smith was asked by legislature investigators if he examined nan contents of lawmakers’ matter messages during his probe, he said, "no."

He told nan House Judiciary Committee that his squad only sought telephone toll records.

"Toll records were sought for humanities telephone routing information, collected aft calls had taken place, identifying nan incoming and outgoing telephone numbers, nan clip of nan calls and their duration," Smith testified successful December. "Toll records do not see nan contented of calls."

Senator Chuck Grassley, a Republican from Iowa and president of nan Senate Judiciary Committee, is seen during a confirmation proceeding successful Washington, D.C., connected Jan. 30, 2025. (Daniel Heuer/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

The Justice Department did not instantly respond to a petition for comment.