The Office of the Special Counsel (OSC) officially initiated an investigation against Jack Smith - the former special prosecutor who led federal cases against President Donald Trump. The information was initially published in the New York Times between Saturday and Sunday.
The investigation focuses on a potential violation of the Hatch Act, which prohibits federal employees from conducting political activities. Republican Senator Tom Cotton, considered close to Trump, initiated contact with OSC to determine whether Smith's actions were aimed at influencing the 2024 presidential election.
Smith was appointed in 2022 during President Joe Biden's administration to lead two federal cases against Trump - one related to his attempts to nullify the 2020 election results, and the other concerning the illegal removal of classified documents from the White House to the Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida.
After Trump's re-election, the charges were terminated in accordance with legal provisions for the immunity of a sitting president. Days before taking office again, Smith resigned.
In his report, Smith categorically stated that if Trump had not been re-elected, he would have been convicted of illegal attempts to manipulate election results. He documented specific cases, including Trump's attempt to force the Georgia Secretary of State to "find 11,780 votes".
In the Capitol riot case, Trump was charged with crimes carrying a maximum sentence of 55 years in prison. Smith described the events of January 6, 2021, as an "unprecedented attack on democracy", directly provoked by Trump's claims.
In the classified documents case, the charges include 40 counts with a potential maximum sentence of 450 years in prison.
Trump immediately reacted sharply to the report, calling Smith "crazy" and claiming that he failed to convict him effectively. During the election campaign, Trump repeatedly commented on Smith, including the statement that he would "remove him in two seconds".
OSC cannot bring criminal charges but can forward its findings to the Department of Justice. The agency only has the authority to order dismissal from office.
This investigation fits into a series of actions by the current administration against persons considered "hostile" to Trump, including former FBI Director James Comey and former CIA Director John Brennan.
White House spokesperson Carolin Levit commented that "President Trump was right again", insisting that political investigations were motivated by political motives.