Jack Smith tells Senate he will not be silenced by threats

Jack Smith told the Senate Judiciary Committee on Sept. 29, 2026, in his second public hearing on two since-dismissed Trump cases, that he will not be silenced by the continued threats of prosecution from the president or others. The cases concerned alleged 2020 election interference and mishandling of classified documents. Smith obtained phone logs from Republican senators around Jan. 6 and texts from 44 lawmakers. CONTESTED: Chuck Grassley said this wasn't a normal prosecution and Smith's operation was a partisan weapon that broke the rules, alleging donor and journalist records. Dick Durbin said aspersions on Smith are petty, personal and political and a smokescreen for the president's own clear unlawful conduct. Eric Schmitt accused Smith of perjury over an Atlanta Hawks game near Fani Willis; Smith said he attended an Iowa Hawkeyes-Maryland women's game in Maryland on Feb. 3, 2024. Amy Klobuchar called on Schmitt to apologize. Ted Cruz repeatedly interrupted Smith over unnotified phone-record subpoenas and asked if it is a crime to be a Republican; Smith said absolutely not. Smith has said the Jan. 6 riot does not happen without Trump. No charges have been filed. Jim Jordan referred Smith to the Justice Department in July over toll records that hold no conversation content. Two prosecutors resigned from a related Mar-a-Lago probe.