House Republicans have put Special Counsel Jack Smith on notice, stating that they are closely monitoring his actions following President-elect Donald Trump’s victory. House Judiciary Committee Chairman Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio and House Administration Subcommittee on Oversight Chairman Rep. Barry Loudermilk of Georgia have instructed Smith to “preserve all records surrounding the Biden-Harris Administration’s politicized prosecutions of President Donald Trump,” according to a news release.
A pre-election CNN report revealed that members of Smith’s office were “gaming out legal options.” On Friday, according to NBC, U.S. District Court Judge Tanya Chutkan paused Smith’s election interference case against Trump, which was requested by Smith’s office, saying it needed “time to assess this unprecedented circumstance” that the object of prosecution can have it ended in January “and determine the appropriate course going forward consistent with Department of Justice policy.” Smith will provide an update on government plans to proceed by Dec. 2, he said.
Jack Smith:
Preserve your records. pic.twitter.com/Toazp1EATk
— House Judiciary GOP ?????? (@JudiciaryGOP) November 8, 2024
Jordan and Loudermilk warned the special counsel they are keeping an eye on him. that they are watching him. “With President Trump’s decisive victory this week, we are concerned that the Office of Special Counsel may attempt to purge relevant records, communications, and documents responsive to our numerous requests for information,” the letter said. “The Office of Special Counsel is not immune from transparency or above accountability for its actions. Furthermore, this letter serves as a formal request to preserve all existing and future records and materials related to the Office of Special Counsel’s investigations and prosecutions of President Trump,” the letter continued.
“You should construe this preservation notice as an instruction to take all reasonable steps to prevent the destruction or alteration, whether intentionally or negligently, of all documents, communications, and other information, including electronic information and metadata, that are or may be responsive to this congressional inquiry,” the letter continued.
The letter outlined requests for information from Smith’s office, some dating back to June 2023. The requests include details on matters such as how Smith’s office utilized FBI agents, whether any had previously investigated Trump, and communications with the White House. As noted by The New York Times, not only could whoever Trump appoints as attorney general end the investigation against him, “longstanding Justice Department policy bars the prosecution of sitting presidents.”