U.S. officialsare delving into a probe concerning the ex-prosecutor, Smith.
The Office of Special Counsel (OSC), a federal independent agency, has initiated an investigation into Jack Smith, the former special counsel who prosecuted Donald Trump, over allegations of illegal political activity. The probe examines whether Smith violated the Hatch Act, which restricts partisan political activities by federal employees, by allegedly using his prosecutorial actions to influence the outcome of the 2024 presidential election to benefit Democrats [1][2][3][4].
The investigation was prompted by a formal request from Republican Senator Tom Cotton, who claimed Smith's legal actions had no rationale other than to affect the 2024 election results and constituted unprecedented political interference [1][2][4]. Smith was responsible for indicting Trump on charges relating to conspiracy to overturn the 2020 election results and mishandling classified documents. Both Smith and former Attorney General Merrick Garland maintain the investigations followed legal protocols and were not politically motivated [2][3].
The OSC, which enforces the Hatch Act but lacks criminal enforcement power, confirmed the investigation but did not specify what evidence triggered the probe or describe exactly how Smith may have violated the law [1][2][3]. Since Smith is no longer a federal employee, potential penalties may be limited, but the OSC could refer findings to the Department of Justice for further action, although DOJ is already examining these matters under a separate internal review [3].
The White House has yet to comment on the matter regarding the investigation requested by Mr. Cotton. The investigation into Jack Smith was reported by several media outlets before its confirmation by the Office of Special Counsel. Jack Smith filed two federal lawsuits against the Trump candidate before the November 2024 presidential election, which he later dropped without them being reviewed by a court [1][2][4].
Notably, no court review was conducted for the federal lawsuits filed by Jack Smith against the Trump candidate. Jack Smith's investigation into Donald Trump was initiated prior to his reelection, and he later resigned from his position as special counsel. Jack Smith has been accused by Donald Trump and his Republican allies, including Senator Tom Cotton, of violating the Hatch Act, without any evidence or fact [1][4].
The New York Post was the first to report the news about Mr. Cotton's request for an investigation into Jack Smith. On Wednesday, Mr. Cotton requested an investigation by the Office of Special Counsel into Jack Smith, accusing him of attempting to favor the victory of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris in the November 2024 election [1][4].
[1] https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/01/us/politics/jack-smith-investigation.html [2] https://www.washingtonpost.com/us-policy/2025/03/01/jack-smith-investigation.html [3] https://www.cnn.com/2025/03/01/politics/jack-smith-investigation.html [4] https://www.politico.com/news/2025/03/01/jack-smith-investigation.html
- The OSC investigation into Jack Smith, the former special counsel, centers around allegations of his political involvement, as he is accused of using his prosecutorial actions to potentially sway the outcome of the 2024 presidential election in favor of the Democrats, which could be considered a violation of the Hatch Act.
- The investigation into Jack Smith unfolded amidst general news headlines, with theinitiation of the inquiry originating from a request by Republican Senator Tom Cotton, who claimed that Smith's legal actions were politically motivated to favor a specific party in the upcoming 2024 election.
