House Subpoenas Jack Smith for Closed-Door Deposition

The Republican-led House Judiciary Committee has subpoenaed former special counsel Jack Smith for a closed-door deposition on December 17, rejecting his earlier offer to testify in a public hearing about his investigations into President Donald Trump.

Committee Chairman Jim Jordan, a Republican from Ohio, issued the subpoena on Wednesday, directing Smith to appear and produce related records by December 12. In a letter to Smith, Jordan stated that the panel believes the former special counsel possesses information vital to its oversight of federal law enforcement practices. The subpoena follows Jordan's October request for voluntary testimony, which Smith did not provide, leading to the formal summons.

Smith, appointed in 2022 by Attorney General Merrick Garland, led two high-profile investigations into Trump. The first examined Trump's retention of classified documents at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Florida, resulting in federal charges in 2023. The second focused on Trump's alleged efforts to overturn the 2020 election results, including actions surrounding the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot, and also led to indictments. Smith discontinued both cases after Trump's 2024...