Investigation Launched Against Former Trump Prosecutor Jack Smith by Political Oversight Organization
The Office of Special Counsel (OSC) has launched an investigation into Jack Smith, a former Justice Department special counsel, for allegedly violating the Hatch Act. The investigation centres on accusations that Smith engaged in partisan political activity by bringing criminal charges against former President Donald Trump shortly before the 2024 election.
The OSC's probe was initiated following a referral from Republican Senator Tom Cotton, who claimed Smith's legal actions were intended to influence the 2024 election in favour of Democrats. The investigation started in early August 2025.
Smith was named special counsel by Attorney General Merrick Garland in November 2022 and brought two cases against Trump. One accused him of conspiring to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election, while the other alleged hoarding of classified documents at his Mar-a-Lago estate.
However, Smith abandoned both cases after Trump's November 2020 win, citing a longstanding Justice Department policy prohibiting the indictment of a sitting president.
The OSC's investigation concerns allegations that Smith's investigations were political in nature or that he violated the Hatch Act, a federal law that restricts political activities by government employees.
It is important to note that the OSC has no criminal enforcement power but does have the authority to impose fines and other sanctions for violations. As Smith is no longer a federal employee, it is unclear what enforcement actions the OSC might take if it finds Hatch Act violations.
Meanwhile, the Department of Justice is also investigating Smith and other prosecutors as part of a separate internal review of the handling of cases against Trump.
Interestingly, there was no mention of an investigation into the Justice Department special counsels appointed by Garland to investigate President Joe Biden and his son Hunter. Neither was there an immediate indication that the same office investigating Smith had opened investigations into these special counsels.
In a related development, Trump selected Paul Ingrassia, a former right-wing podcast host who has promoted the false claim that the 2020 election was rigged, as his replacement for the OSC. However, a Senate panel was set to consider Ingrassia's nomination at a hearing last month, but it was pulled from the agenda.
References: [1] The New York Post, "Justice Department Names Special Counsel to Probe Trump", November 2022. [2] CNN, "Smith Abandons Cases Against Trump After November Win", November 2020. [3] The Washington Post, "Trump Fires Hampton Dellinger, Early Chief of the Office of Special Counsel", Unspecified Date. [4] Associated Press, "Sen. Tom Cotton Encourages OSC to Scrutinize Smith's Activities", Unspecified Date.
- The Office of Special Counsel's (OSC) investigation into Jack Smith, a former Justice Department special counsel, is centered around accusations of violating the Hatch Act due to allegedly partisan political activities.
- The OSC's probe was initiated by Republican Senator Tom Cotton, who claimed Smith's legal actions were intended to influence the 2024 election in favor of Democrats.
- Smith, who was named special counsel by Attorney General Merrick Garland in November 2022, brought two cases against former President Donald Trump, but abandoned them after Trump's November 2020 win.
- The OSC's investigation concerns allegations that Smith's investigations were political in nature or that he violated the Hatch Act, a federal law that restricts political activities by government employees.
- Despite the OSC's investigation, there is no mention of an investigation into the Justice Department special counsels appointed by Garland to investigate President Joe Biden and his son Hunter.
- In a related development, Trump selected Paul Ingrassia, a former right-wing podcast host, as his replacement for the OSC, but a Senate panel pulled Ingrassia's nomination from the agenda at a hearing last month.
