House GOP Committee Calls for Prosecution of Jack Smith

WHO:

CNN - Republican Rep. Jim Jordan is the chair of the House Judiciary Committee.

ABC News - Jack Smith is the former special counsel who prosecuted Trump.

ABC News - Todd Blanche is the acting Attorney General.

CNN - Ranking Member Jamie Raskin is a Maryland Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee.

WHAT:

CNN - Jim Jordan's letter to the DOJ states that Smith "seemingly made willfully and intentionally false statements" during his testimony.

AP News - Jordan's referral centers on a December 2025 exchange where Smith was asked about subpoenas for toll records of some Republican lawmakers.

AP News - Jordan claims Smith's responses gave the impression that he did not have access to the content of lawmakers' privileged text messages, which he now alleges is false.

NPR - Smith's lawyers assert that the referral reflects a "chilling eagerness to weaponize the justice system" against him.

CNN - Jim Jordan's letter to the DOJ states that Smith "seemingly made willfully and intentionally false statements" during his testimony.

NPR - The Justice Department has attempted to initiate criminal cases against former FBI Director Jim Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James.

Fox News - Jack Smith's probe secretly seized text messages from 44 lawmakers, including Jim Jordan and Chuck Grassley, tied to January 6 and classified documents.

ABC News - Jim Jordan issued a criminal referral against Jack Smith for allegedly making "willfully and intentionally false statements" during his December 17, 2025 deposition.

NPR - The criminal referral of Jack Smith marks another step in a campaign by the Trump administration and its allies in Congress to pursue individuals who investigated Trump.

NPR - Smith's lawyers released a letter asserting that he provided "truthful, responsive answers" to Congress last year.

CNN - Jim Jordan's letter to the DOJ alleges that Jack Smith "misled the committee" regarding text messages obtained during the investigation into Trump's response to the 2020 election loss.

NPR - The criminal referral of Jack Smith is part of a broader campaign by Trump and his allies to pursue individuals who investigated him.

NPR - Trump posted "Justice at last???" on social media following the news of the criminal referral against Jack Smith.

CNN - Jim Jordan's criminal referral on Jack Smith fulfills a longtime Republican wish to investigate and potentially prosecute Smith.

CNN - The Justice Department confirmed it “will investigate all evidence of criminal conduct,” according to a spokesperson.

Alternet - Smith's attorneys stated that the referral is made not because Smith made a false statement, but because he did not proactively disclose information that was not responsive to a question asked.

CNN - Jim Jordan asked the Justice Department to consider criminally charging Jack Smith.

ABC News - Jordan issued a criminal referral against Jack Smith for allegedly making "willfully and intentionally false statements" during his testimony.

CBS News - The House Judiciary Committee urged the DOJ to charge Jack Smith.

CNN - Trump has called for Smith to be jailed.

CNN - The Justice Department confirmed it received Jordan’s referral.

WHERE:

CNN - The actions are taking place within the context of the House Judiciary Committee and the Justice Department.

WHEN:

ABC News - The referral relates to testimony Smith provided on December 17, 2025.

WHY:

AP News - Jordan argues that a false statement can include instances where a witness provides a half-truth or excludes necessary information to make statements accurate.

NPR - Smith's lawyers argue that the referral reflects a "chilling eagerness to weaponize the justice system" against him.

NPR - Lawyers for Smith stated that the referral reflects a "chilling eagerness to weaponize the justice system" against a career public servant.

NPR - Rep. Jamie Raskin claimed the referral deliberately distorts and misstates the facts regarding the questions asked during Smith's interview.

NPR - The referral reflects a "chilling eagerness to weaponize the justice system" against Jack Smith, according to his lawyers Lanny Breuer and Peter Koski.

Alternet - The referral is seen as an attempt to harass Jack Smith and whitewash the GOP's participation in a scheme to overthrow elections, according to Rep. Jamie Raskin.

CNN - Jordan alleges that Smith misled the committee during closed-door testimony.

ABC News - The referral is based on evidence that Smith knowingly made false statements.

HOW:

Alternet - Smith's attorneys stated that he was under strict rules from the Department of Justice that prohibited him from volunteering information beyond what was asked.

Alternet - Smith's attorneys stated that he answered questions with "yes" or "no" and did not volunteer additional information, which is the basis for the referral.

Alternet - Smith was restricted by the Justice Department in what he could say, as he was under strict rules that prohibited him from volunteering information beyond what was asked.

CNN - The referral is based on Smith’s team obtaining text messages between Trump administration officials and members of Congress during their investigation.

(UPDATED July 24, 2026 01:24 UTC)

Jim Jordan has sent a letter to the Department of Justice claiming that special counsel Jack Smith made willfully false statements during his testimony regarding subpoenas for toll records of Republican lawmakers. Jordan argues that Smith's responses suggested he lacked access to the content of lawmakers' privileged text messages, which he now alleges is inaccurate. In response, Smith's lawyers contend that the referral demonstrates a troubling eagerness to misuse the justice system against him, emphasizing that Smith was bound by strict rules from the DOJ that limited his ability to provide additional information.

(UPDATED July 23, 2026 22:19 UTC)

Jim Jordan has sent a letter to the DOJ claiming that Jack Smith made "willfully and intentionally false statements" during his testimony. Meanwhile, the Justice Department is working to initiate criminal cases against former FBI Director Jim Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James, while Smith's probe has secretly seized text messages from 44 lawmakers, including Jordan and Chuck Grassley, related to January 6 and classified documents. Smith's attorneys argue that these actions reflect a troubling eagerness to weaponize the justice system against him, emphasizing that he was under strict rules from the DOJ that limited him from volunteering information beyond what was specifically requested.

(UPDATED July 23, 2026 20:20 UTC)

Jim Jordan has issued a criminal referral against Jack Smith, alleging that Smith made "willfully and intentionally false statements" during his deposition on December 17, 2025. This referral is seen as part of a broader effort by Trump and his allies in Congress to target those who have investigated him, while Smith's lawyers maintain that he provided "truthful, responsive answers" during his testimony. Additionally, Smith's legal team argues that the referral demonstrates a troubling willingness to misuse the justice system against a dedicated public servant, with Rep. Jamie Raskin asserting that it misrepresents the facts surrounding Smith's interview.

(UPDATED July 23, 2026 16:24 UTC)

In a significant development, Jim Jordan has sent a letter to the DOJ claiming that Jack Smith misled the committee about text messages related to Trump's response to the 2020 election loss. This criminal referral is seen as part of a broader effort by Trump and his allies to target those who investigated him, with Trump himself posting "Justice at last???" on social media in response. Smith's attorneys argue that he answered questions straightforwardly, using only "yes" or "no," which they believe is the foundation for this referral.

(UPDATED July 23, 2026 15:37 UTC)

Jim Jordan's criminal referral on Jack Smith has sparked significant attention, fulfilling a longstanding Republican desire to investigate and potentially prosecute the special counsel. The Justice Department has confirmed that it will investigate all evidence of criminal conduct, while Smith's attorneys argue that the referral stems not from any false statements but rather from his adherence to strict guidelines that limited his disclosures. Representative Jamie Raskin has characterized the referral as a tactic to harass Smith and to obscure the GOP's involvement in efforts to undermine elections.

(UPDATED July 23, 2026 04:04 UTC)

Republican Rep. Jim Jordan, chair of the House Judiciary Committee, has formally asked the Justice Department to consider criminal charges against Jack Smith, the former special counsel who prosecuted Trump, alleging that Smith made "willfully and intentionally false statements" during his testimony on December 17, 2025. The House Judiciary Committee has urged the DOJ to act on this criminal referral, which is supported by evidence including text messages exchanged between Trump administration officials and members of Congress. In response to these developments, Trump has called for Smith to be jailed, while the Justice Department has confirmed receipt of Jordan's referral.