Jack Smith tells House Trump 'caused' Jan. 6 attack and defends his investigations

Jack Smith, the special prosecutor who twice indicted Donald J. Trump, defended his investigations in a tense appearance before the House Judiciary Committee on Thursday, saying Mr. Trump “caused” the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol and that the law required he be held to account.

Smith said his testimony amounted to the summation he was never allowed to deliver in court and concluded that Mr. Trump “engaged in criminal activity” that undermined democracy and the rule of law. He appeared wan and at times spoke softly, and before sitting at the witness table greeted four former law enforcement officers who were attacked on Jan.

6: Michael Fanone, Daniel Hodges, Aquilino Gonell and Harry Dunn. Republicans on the committee accused Mr. Smith of participating in a Democratic conspiracy and of interfering in the “democratic process,” a charge repeated by Representative Jim Jordan. They offered no new evidence, instead pressing Mr.

Smith on decisions such as seeking a nondisclosure order for metadata about calls to nine Republican lawmakers; when Representative Brandon Gill asked whether Speaker Kevin McCarthy was a flight risk, Mr. Smith replied, “He was not.” Mr. Trump used Truth Social to attack Mr. Smith and urged Attorney General Pam Bondi to look into his actions; Mr.

Key Topics

Politics, Jack Smith, Donald Trump, House Judiciary Committee, Jim Jordan, Truth Social