The Home Oversight Committee has launched the transcript and video of a non-public deposition by former particular counsel Jack Smith in December.
A MARTÍNEZ, HOST:
The Republican-led Home Judiciary Committee has launched closed-door testimony from former particular counsel Jack Smith, a person on the heart of the Justice Division’s failed investigations into President Trump. A video and almost 300 pages supply insights into Smith’s circumstances towards Trump and what the not often seen lawyer considered Trump’s try and overturn the 2020 election. Here is NPR’s Luke Garrett.
LUKE GARRETT, BYLINE: Smith led two probes. One centered on Trump’s try and overthrow the 2020 election outcomes, and the second on Trump’s dealing with of categorized paperwork after leaving the White Home. Smith resigned within the ultimate weeks of the Biden administration, and his circumstances towards Trump had been dropped after the president received in 2024. However throughout his December deposition, Smith gave a full-throated protection of his election case towards Trump.
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JACK SMITH: President Trump was, by a big measure, essentially the most culpable and most accountable particular person on this conspiracy. The – these crimes had been dedicated for his profit. The assault that occurred on the Capitol as a part of this case doesn’t occur with out him.
GARRETT: Smith additionally disputed claims that his investigation and conclusions had been political.
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SMITH: I solely disagree with any characterization that our work was in any approach meant to hamper him within the presidential election.
GARRETT: Smith mentioned he believes his case would have led to a conviction and advised the committee how.
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SMITH: Our case was constructed on, frankly, Republicans who put their allegiance to the nation earlier than the get together.
GARRETT: Throughout his deposition, the committee questioned Smith’s assortment of Senate telephone information. Smith confirmed this however mentioned they had been solely timestamps of calls between lawmakers and Trump aides in and across the January 6 assault and never the contents of the decision. Smith additionally pointed to Trump for guiding the calls within the first place.
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SMITH: These information are folks – within the case of the senators, Donald Trump directed his co-conspirators to name these folks to additional delay the proceedings. He selected to try this.
GARRETT: The evaluation of telephone toll information is a typical investigative tactic, however there are ongoing debates about whether or not the DOJ ought to have the ability to use this towards a sitting member of Congress. Smith stood agency by his investigation into Trump’s try and overturn the 2020 election outcomes. However when it got here to his investigation into Trump’s dealing with of categorized paperwork, Smith mentioned little. He mentioned he is open to share extra, however is barred from doing so by order of a federal choose.
Luke Garrett, NPR Information, Washington.
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