Overview
- On Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2026, former special counsel Jack Smith told the Senate Judiciary Committee he stands by his decisions and said he would bring the same charges again based on the evidence.
- Republican senators say Smith’s team reviewed text-message contents from 44 current or former lawmakers and subpoenaed telephone toll records from carriers, a claim that raises questions about the Speech or Debate Clause and how privileged material was handled.
- Rep. Jim Jordan referred Smith to the Justice Department in July for allegedly misleading Congress about records collection, and the DOJ has not publicly closed that inquiry.
- A federal judge’s standing order limits what Smith can say about the classified-documents investigation, leaving parts of his report sealed while appeals and First Amendment challenges move through court.
- The hearing heightens pressure on the Justice Department as it examines officials involved in Smith’s probes, a process that has already led to firings and could shape whether career prosecutors face investigation or charges.