Jim Jordan Eyes Capitol Showdown as Special Counsel Jack Smith May Face Congress
(Alex Brandon/ AP)
House Judiciary Committee Chair Jim Jordan (R-OH) signaled on Wednesday that special counsel Jack Smith may be called to testify on Capitol Hill, leaving the door open to a congressional inquiry into Smith’s investigations of President-elect Donald Trump.
“Everything’s on the table,” Jordan said, as reported by Politico. “I’m just now looking at his report.” The remarks came after the public release of Smith’s much-anticipated report detailing Trump’s efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election. Smith also investigated Trump’s handling of classified documents, another high-profile case that has drawn scrutiny from both sides of the political aisle.
Jordan, a staunch Trump ally and vocal critic of Smith’s investigations, has repeatedly accused the special counsel of politicizing the legal process. Smith has strongly denied these claims, maintaining that his probes were impartial and based on evidence.
Trump, who has been vocal about his disdain for Smith, vowed during the 2024 campaign to fire the special counsel within “two seconds” of taking office. Smith resigned from the Justice Department last week, a move that Politico suggests could “pave the way” for him to testify before Jordan’s committee.
“It has become fairly routine for special counsels to testify before Congress at the end of their tenures,” the publication said, adding that Smith’s resignation may remove potential legal or procedural barriers to a hearing.
As Trump prepares to reenter the White House with a Republican-controlled Congress, Smith has become a target for GOP lawmakers who view his investigations as emblematic of what they see as a weaponized justice system. Jordan’s comments hint at a broader strategy to scrutinize the work of federal investigators and prosecutors who pursued cases against Trump.
The prospect of Smith testifying before Congress could ignite a contentious showdown, with Republicans expected to press him on the motivations behind his investigations and Democrats likely defending the integrity of his work. Jordan’s assertion that “everything’s on the table” underscores the potential for a high-profile political battle over the role of special counsels and their accountability to Congress.
As the GOP consolidates its control on Capitol Hill, Smith’s next moves—and whether he appears before the Judiciary Committee—remain a focal point in the ongoing political drama surrounding Trump’s return to power.
