Watchdog Opens Investigation Into Jack Smith Over Alleged Political Activity
A federal political watchdog has launched an investigation into Jack Smith, the former Justice Department special counsel who filed criminal charges against Donald Trump during his 2024 presidential campaign. The inquiry comes after Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) called on the U.S. Office of Special Counsel (OSC) to review Smith’s conduct, alleging illegal political interference in the election.
The OSC—not to be confused with the Department of Justice’s special counsel office—confirmed the Jack Smith investigation Saturday. The agency enforces the Hatch Act, a federal law that bars certain government employees from engaging in political activity. However, the OSC cannot bring criminal charges and is limited to administrative action or referrals to the DOJ.
Cotton Pushes for Hatch Act Probe But Offers No Concrete Evidence
Cotton claimed Smith’s legal strategy amounted to “unprecedented interference” in the 2024 race and was designed to boost the Biden-Harris ticket. “Jack Smith’s legal actions were nothing more than a tool for the Biden and Harris campaigns,” he posted on X, labeling Smith’s efforts as unethical and likely illegal.
The senator’s request stems from Smith’s decision to pursue a “rushed trial” of Trump in 2023. Still, no evidence has been publicly provided to support that claim, and Smith’s cases were filed more than a year before the 2024 election.
Smith indicted Trump in two separate federal cases—one concerning the alleged conspiracy to overturn the 2020 election and another over classified documents stored at Mar-a-Lago. Both indictments cited well-established federal statutes and were brought under the authority of then-Attorney General Merrick Garland.
Smith Resigned Before Inauguration, DOJ Policy Prevented Trial
Jack Smith resigned from his post just over a week before Trump’s inauguration in January 2024, citing longstanding DOJ policy against prosecuting a sitting president. Neither of the criminal cases he filed went to trial.
Despite Republican complaints, Garland repeatedly stated that political motivations played no role in the investigations. Meanwhile, there is no indication that similar OSC probes have been launched into other DOJ special counsels who investigated President Biden or his son Hunter.
Trump’s Pick to Lead Watchdog Agency Still in Limbo
The investigation into Smith is unfolding as the OSC itself faces internal instability. Trump’s nominee to lead the agency, former podcast host Paul Ingrassia, remains unconfirmed. Ingrassia has made headlines for praising controversial figures like Andrew Tate and for promoting false claims about the 2020 election.
Until confirmed, Trump’s former trade official Jamieson Greer is serving as the acting head of the OSC.
