Former special counsel Jack Smith's recently released testimony asserts Donald Trump was 'most culpable' for the January 6 Capitol riot and would have been convicted in court. Smith detailed Trump's criminal scheme to overturn the 2020 election, his actions endangering Mike Pence, and his belief that Trump's demands for Georgia officials to 'find' votes constituted criminal intent, while dismissing claims of political weaponization against his investigations.
Former special counsel Jack Smith's previously confidential testimony, released by the House Judiciary Committee, offers a damning account of Donald Trump's alleged involvement in the January 6, 2021 Capitol riot and his efforts to subvert the 2020 election results. Smith, who oversaw two Justice Department prosecutions against Trump (January 6 and classified documents), stated 'without question' that Trump was 'most culpable' and 'most responsible' for the conspiracy, expressing his belief that he could have secured a conviction for conspiring to deny Americans a free and fair election. He testified that Trump's actions 'without question' intensified the danger faced by Vice President Mike Pence, who was targeted by rioters, and cited Trump's demand for Georgia officials to 'find' over 11,000 votes as evidence of criminal intention. Smith emphasized that his case relied heavily on testimony from Republicans who prioritized their country over party and refuted claims that the riot was peaceful, noting the use of weapons against law enforcement. He also clarified that the Supreme Court's executive immunity ruling did not validate Trump's conduct leading up to January 6. Dismissing accusations of political weaponization, Smith asserted he would have pursued prosecution on the same facts regardless of the individual's political affiliation and confirmed he had no contact with President Biden regarding the investigations. He did, however, acknowledge his certainty that Trump would seek retribution against him. The release of this testimony by House Republicans, who largely failed to establish links between Smith's prosecutions and the Biden White House, comes after Trump's 2024 election victory effectively halted the DOJ's efforts to hold him criminally liable. Trump continues to claim the 2020 election was stolen and views the prosecutions as politically motivated, a stance he reiterated recently on Truth Social and during a press conference.
