Jack Smith says he would prosecute Trump again for 'serious crimes against our nation'

Former special counsel Jack Smith told the Senate Judiciary Committee on Tuesday that he would bring a case against Donald Trump again on the same facts. Smith defended his earlier decision to charge the president over the handling of classified documents and over Trump's part in the Jan. 6 attack, testifying that the evidence met the standard of proof beyond a reasonable doubt and showed "serious crimes against our nation.", according to PBS NewsHour.

Smith headed the 2022 inquiries into Trump, which produced two indictments. He told senators he made his choices without weighing Trump's politics or his 2024 candidacy. He said he would take the same step against any former president, whether a Republican or a Democrat, if the facts were identical. Smith also said his investigations had established proof beyond a reasonable doubt of the conduct they examined.

The hearing unfolded as Republicans targeted the earlier investigations of Trump. Smith rejected claims of bias from Trump and Republican critics, who call the prosecutions politically driven. Representative Jim Jordan, a Republican from Ohio, asked the Justice Department to consider prosecuting Smith, claiming he made false statements during a closed-door session with House members in December that lasted several hours. Smith responded that he stands by his House testimony and "will not be silenced" by continued threats of prosecution.

Summarized by PolitiKool from PBS NewsHour’s reporting. Read the full story at PBS NewsHour →