Sen. John Kennedy, R-La., delivered a scathing attack on former special counsel Jack Smith on Tuesday during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing, telling Smith his claims of impartiality were enough to make him physically ill.
Kennedy questioned Smith on his contacts with then-Attorney General Merrick Garland and on how Smith presented materials to a federal judge to secure subpoenas connected to his criminal cases against President Donald Trump.
Kennedy’s Blunt Verdict on Smith’s Testimony
After Smith insisted he had conducted his work in a non-partisan manner and followed Department of Justice guidelines, Kennedy did not hold back. John Kennedy Jack Smith hearing, according to committee testimony that drew immediate reaction from both sides of the aisle.
“You make me want to throw up in my mouth,”
Kennedy told Smith directly.
The remark prompted an immediate response from Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., the committee’s ranking member, who intervened to demand that senators show basic respect to Smith as a witness.
Smith’s Cases Against Trump
Smith had brought two sets of criminal charges against Trump in 2024. One case centered on Trump’s alleged mishandling of classified materials, and the other focused on his efforts to challenge the results of the 2020 presidential election.
Both cases became flashpoints in a deeply polarized political environment, and Smith’s Senate appearance gave Republican members their first formal opportunity to publicly confront him under oath about his decisions and conduct.
What Comes Next for the Committee
Tuesday’s hearing made clear that Republican senators intend to keep pressing Smith on the origins and conduct of his prosecutions, particularly his relationship with Garland and the legal steps used to build his cases. The exchanges are likely to fuel continued debate over the independence of the special counsel’s office and the standards applied to politically sensitive investigations. Further scrutiny of Smith’s tenure as special counsel is expected as the committee pursues its review.
