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Republicans on the House Judiciary Committee are requesting a large amount of information from Special Counsel Jack Smith related to the Justice Department's (DOJ) investigation into former President Donald Trump, according to a letter sent to Smith on Thursday.
The three-page letter, which was signed by House Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan and chairman of the Subcommittee on Crime and Federal Government Surveillance Andy Biggs, said that the requested information is connected to Republicans' oversight of the DOJ's "commitment to impartial justice" under the administration of President Joe Biden.
Smith is leading both criminal investigations into Trump ahead of the 2024 November election, where the former president is currently predicted to go up against Biden.
The former president has maintained that he is innocent of all charges against him and has accused Smith of launching a "witch hunt." He is facing 91 criminal charges across all four of his indictments, including prosecutions in Georgia and Manhattan.
"We have significant concerns about Special Counsel Jack Smith's targeting and hatred of conservatives," Biggs wrote in a post to X, formerly Twitter. "He can either comply with @Jim_Jordan and me or face a subpoena."
Lawmakers accused Smith and the DOJ of having a "record of attempting to criminalize political discourse," pointing to accusations from conservative groups who claimed back in 2017 that they were being unfairly scrutinized by the Internal Revenue Service for their political leanings.
Republicans also noted Smith's redacted warrant related to his investigation into the former president's alleged election subversion plan, which requested the names and personal information of social media users who interacted with Trump's X account.
Republicans are requesting that Smith produce all documents and communications related to the investigation into Trump, the salaries of staff members at the Office of Special Counsel, and the hiring and selection processes of current and former staff members at Smith's office. The letter requests the information be provided by 5 p.m. ET January 4.
A DOJ spokesperson confirmed to Newsweek that the department had received Jordan and Biggs' letter, but declined further comment.
Smith's investigations into Trump's alleged activities have sparked criticism from Republicans in the past, who claim that the prosecutions are politically-motivated.
In June, the Judiciary Committee sent a letter to U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland requesting copies of documents related to Smith's appointment as special counsel, and in September the committee sent a letter to Smith requesting information related to accusations against one of the DOJ's attorneys, Jay Bratt.
Allies of the former president have also attempted to strip funding from Smith's office as a way to halt the investigations, and in August the House Judiciary Committee launched an inquiry into a meeting between the special counsel and White House officials after Smith allegedly met with members of Biden's office "numerous times" while investigating Trump.
Update 12/21/23, 5:19 p.m. ET: This article has been updated with additional comment from the Justice Department's Press Office.
About the writer
Kaitlin Lewis is a Newsweek reporter on the Night Team based in Boston, Massachusetts. Her focus is reporting on national ... Read more