The corridors of power in Washington have witnessed many closed-door sessions over the years, but few carry the weight and consequence of what transpired this week when former special counsel Jack Smith sat before the House Judiciary Committee for nine hours of questioning.
Now, his legal team is making a bold play. They want the American people to see and hear everything.
In a letter that landed on the desk of House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan, Smith’s attorneys, Lanny Breuer and Peter Koski, did not mince words. They are calling for the immediate release of the full videotape from Wednesday’s deposition and renewing their push for Smith to testify in an open, public forum.
The stakes here are considerable. Smith spent years investigating President Trump, first regarding the events of January 6th and the handling of classified documents, and then watched as his cases evaporated following Trump’s election victory and subsequent return to office. The special counsel’s work has been characterized and recharacterized by various political actors, each spinning the narrative to fit their preferred version of events.
According to the letter obtained this week, Smith “welcomed this opportunity” to testify and expressed hope that his testimony would “serve to correct the many mischaracterizations about the work of the Special Counsel’s Office.”
That phrase deserves attention. Mischaracterizations. In the modern political arena, where truth often gets trampled in the rush to score partisan points, Smith apparently believes the record needs setting straight.
His lawyers are not content with backroom discussions and selective leaks. They want transparency. “Doing so will ensure that the American people can hear the facts directly from Mr. Smith, rather than through second-hand accounts,” the attorneys wrote to Chairman Jordan.
This represents an unusual posture for a former federal prosecutor. Typically, these officials prefer to let their court filings and indictments speak for themselves. The fact that Smith’s team is actively seeking a public platform suggests they believe something important has been lost or distorted in the public discourse surrounding his investigations.
The nine-hour private session on Wednesday covered substantial ground, though the specific details of what Smith told lawmakers remain under wraps for now. That is precisely what his legal team wants to change.
Chairman Jordan, the Ohio Republican who has been a vocal critic of what he views as the weaponization of federal law enforcement against conservatives, now faces a decision. Will he release the full videotape? Will he grant Smith’s request for a public hearing?
The political calculations are complex. Transparency cuts both ways. If Smith’s testimony vindicates his investigative approach, it could complicate Republican narratives about prosecutorial overreach. If it reveals flaws or political bias, it could validate conservative concerns about a two-tiered justice system.
What remains clear is that Jack Smith, through his attorneys, is not interested in fading quietly into the background. He wants his day in the sun, wants to address the American people directly, and wants the full record of his private testimony made public.
In Washington, where secrets are currency and selective disclosure is standard practice, such a request for total transparency stands out. Whether it will be granted remains to be seen, but the pressure is now squarely on Congress to decide whether the American people deserve to hear the whole story.
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