Overview

• The Office of Special Counsel’s Hatch Act Unit officially opened the inquiry on August 1 to review Smith’s actions.
• The investigation is focused on potential violations of the Hatch Act, which bars federal employees from engaging in partisan political activity.
• Senator Tom Cotton’s letter alleged that Smith scheduled and framed the classified documents and Jan. 6 prosecutions to undermine President Trump’s reelection bid.
• Smith led two high-profile DOJ investigations into President Trump—on classified materials and alleged election subversion—but both were dismissed by courts on procedural grounds.
• Smith has not publicly responded, and he has consistently asserted that his investigations adhered to legal protocols and remained independent of political influence.