Jack Smith Testifies on Trump Election Investigations

Former special counsel Jack Smith testified before the House Judiciary Committee on Wednesday that his investigators uncovered proof beyond a reasonable doubt that President Donald Trump engaged in a criminal scheme to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election, according to portions of his opening statement obtained by news outlets.

The closed-door deposition marked the first time lawmakers questioned Smith directly about the two federal investigations he led against Trump, which resulted in indictments in 2023 but were later dropped. Smith, appointed in 2022 to oversee the probes, emphasized that his decisions were based solely on facts and law, without regard to Trump's political affiliation or 2024 candidacy. "We took actions based on what the facts and the law required," Smith said, adding that he would pursue charges against a former president under the same circumstances today, regardless of party.

Smith's team charged Trump in June 2023 with mishandling classified documents retained after leaving office in 2021, including storing sensitive materials at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Florida. Investigators found powerful evidence of willful retention and...