Politics
NEW: Jack Smith Could Be In Legal Trouble After ‘Highly Questionable’ Disclosure, Analyst Says
Fox News legal analyst Gregg Jarrett stated that former special counsel Jack Smith — who headed up the Biden Department of Justice’s criminal cases against President Trump — should be investigated by Attorney General Pam Bondi over a “cozy arraignment” with outside attorneys.
Smith disclosed Friday that he had received $140,000 in pro bono legal services from the prestigious Washington, D.C. law firm Covington & Burling prior to his departure from the DOJ, according to a report from Politico. It is not precisely clear why Smith decided to seek outside legal advice, though President Trump has directed the DOJ to end politically-motivated prosecutions and investigate any Biden era employees who engaged in such conduct.
Attorney General Bondi has set up a working group to investigate the matter and instructed members to probe “weaponization by Special Counsel Jack Smith and his staff who spent more than $50 million targeting President Trump, and the prosecutors and law enforcement personnel who participated in the unprecedented raid on President Trump’s home.”
On Monday, Fox Business host Elizabeth McDonald asked Jarrett about the recent disclosure and whether it raises any legal, civil or ethics questions.
“Yeah, I mean, just taking this gift, for example, from a firm aligned with Democrats only fortifies the evidence of political bias and maybe corruption that drove the lawfare campaign against Trump,” Jarrett said. “This cozy arrangement, I think, demands further disclosure, more investigation.”
“Was it related to the two prosecutions he brought against Trump? Did Garland know about it? The ethics are highly questionable whether it was sanctioned or not. It’s exactly why I argued in a column on Fox News that Jack Smith should be investigated by the incoming DOJ,” he added.
Special counsel Jack Smith speaks to reporters Friday, June 9, 2023, in Washington. Former President Donald Trump is facing 37 felony charges related to the mishandling of classified documents according to an indictment unsealed on Friday. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
Smith opted to resign from the DOJ about a week before President Trump’s inauguration rather than face certain termination. Several prosecutors and DOJ employees who worked within Smith’s office were also fired just a few days after Trump took office.
“In light of their actions, the Acting Attorney General does not trust these officials to assist in faithfully implementing the President’s agenda. This action is consistent with the mission of ending the weaponization of government,” then-acting Attorney General James McHenry said when the firings were announced.
Jarrett pointed to statements from the Trump DOJ, as well as Attorney General Bondi’s working group, when discussing potential misconduct on the part of Smith and his team. “In fact, Pam Bondi has now launched that probe. If lawfare prosecutors like Smith manipulated the law to damage Trump’s political campaign, that is a criminal violation of his civil rights under the federal codes. Prosecutors could be prosecuted,” he said.
