House Republican Conference Chair Elise Stefanik is pushing for an ethics investigation into special counsel Jack Smith, accusing him of interfering in the 2024 presidential election. In a letter to the Justice Department’s Office of Professional Responsibility, Stefanik called for a review of Smith’s handling of the election subversion case involving former President Donald Trump. She believes Smith is attempting to prevent Trump from being elected in 2024. Stefanik, who is considered a possible running mate for Trump, criticized Smith for trying to expedite a trial and filing court documents in the 2020 election subversion case while it was on hold.
Last December, Smith’s team requested the Supreme Court to bypass the appeals courts and expedite consideration of Trump’s immunity appeal. Smith argued that a quick resolution of the case was in the public interest. The Supreme Court denied the request, delaying the trial indefinitely. Stefanik accused Smith of attempting to prevent Trump from becoming president by pushing for a rapid decision before the 2024 election. The Supreme Court heard arguments on the case but has not yet made a decision.
Stefanik referenced a provision in the DOJ Manual that prohibits prosecutors from timing their actions to affect an election or provide an advantage to a candidate or party. She criticized Smith, referring to him as “Biden special counsel Jack Smith,” for making court filings in the 2020 election supervision case despite a hold put in place by a district judge. Smith’s office served discovery on Trump and filed motions while the trial was on hold. The judge rejected a contempt bid against Smith earlier this year for these actions. Smith is overseeing the DOJ’s indictments against Trump related to the 2020 election and the Mar-a-Lago document case.
Former President Trump is facing a total of 88 criminal counts across four indictments, to which he has pleaded not guilty. Both Stefanik and Smith were named on Time Magazine’s list of 100 most influential people for 2024. Stefanik, a strong supporter of Trump’s 2024 bid, has been vocal in her criticism of Smith’s prosecution of the former president. Stefanik believes Smith’s actions are politically motivated and aimed at preventing Trump’s potential return to the presidency. Smith has not responded to these allegations and has continued with his work on the indictments against Trump.
Overall, Stefanik’s call for an ethics investigation into Jack Smith centers on her belief that he is improperly influencing the 2024 presidential election by rushing legal proceedings involving Trump. The accusations against Smith include seeking fast-tracking of the immunity appeal, violating court orders, and potentially manipulating the legal process for political gain. The ongoing legal battle between Smith and Trump, as overseen by the Supreme Court, has yet to be resolved, leaving the outcome and implications of the investigation uncertain. The public and political community will be closely monitoring the developments in this case to assess any potential impact on the 2024 election.
