Jack Smith Defends Trump Investigation

WASHINGTON (AP) — Former Justice Department special counsel Jack Smith has defended his investigations of Donald Trump at a public congressional hearing. Smith insisted Thursday he acted without regard to politics and had no second thoughts about the criminal charges he brought. Smith says no one should be above the law and the law required Trump “be held to account.” Smith’s criminal investigations in Washington, D.C., and Florida shadowed Trump during his 2024 Republican presidential campaign. Smith testified behind closed doors last month but returned to the House Judiciary Committee for the public hearing. Republican lawmakers looked to undermine Smith while Democrats hoped to elicit damaging testimony about Trump’s conduct. Trump says Smith has “destroyed many lives.”