Former special counsel under investigation
Jack Smith resigned as special counsel in January, weeks before Donald Trump took office. File photo: AFP
US officials have opened an investigation into Jack Smith, the former special counsel who led two federal criminal cases against President Donald Trump, US media reported on Saturday.
The Office of Special Counsel told The New York Times it was investigating Smith for potentially violating the Hatch Act, which prohibits federal workers from engaging in political activity while on the job.
Republican Senator Tom Cotton had reportedly asked the agency to investigate whether Smith's actions had been designed to influence the 2024 election.
Smith was appointed special counsel in 2022, and charged Trump with plotting to overturn the results of the 2020 election and mishandling classified documents after leaving the White House.
Trump denied both charges and sought to frame them as politically motivated, accusing the Justice Department of being weaponised against him.
Neither case ever came to trial, and the special counsel – in line with a Justice Department policy of not prosecuting a sitting president – dropped them both after Trump won the November 2024 presidential election.
Smith then resigned before Trump could fulfil his campaign pledge to fire him.
The most severe penalty under the Hatch Act is termination of employment, which would not apply to Smith as he has already resigned. (AFP)
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