Jack Smith, the former special counsel who brought criminal charges against President Donald Trump, has been invited to testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Sept. 22, according to an invitation from Chair Chuck Grassley reviewed by POLITICO on Aug. 3.
Smith previously testified before the House Judiciary Committee in January. Grassley and his team have been investigating Smith and his investigations for several months.
Grassley recently disclosed that Smith obtained text messages sent by 44 members of Congress to White House officials during the final months of Trump’s first term leading up to and around the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol attack. Among those whose texts were accessed are Grassley himself, as well as Senators Mike Lee, Cory Booker, and Tom Cotton.
“In the process of a deeply flawed, weaponized investigation, Jack Smith subpoenaed phone toll records from a dozen senators, scooped up text messages from over 40 members of Congress, and subpoenaed the private communications and financial records of hundreds of other Republican entities and individuals,” Grassley said in a statement.
“He needs to answer directly to Congress for his actions,” Grassley added. “Smith has requested to testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee, and our committee looks forward to hearing from him as part of Congress’ investigation into Arctic Frost and his time as Special Counsel. Smith must be honest and forthcoming in his answers, because the American people deserve nothing less than full transparency and accountability.”
The Senate Judiciary Committee serves as a standing committee with authority over judicial matters; it is led by a chairperson overseeing meetings that include senators from both major political parties. The committee reviews legislation related to civil rights and public safety through its oversight responsibilities across federal law enforcement agencies based in Washington, D.C., according to the official website.