House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) subpoenaed former special counsel Jack Smith on Wednesday for a deposition, escalating Republicans’ investigation into one of President Donald Trump’s top political foes.
Jordan directed Smith to appear before the committee on Dec. 17, according to a copy of the subpoena reviewed by Fox News Digital.
“Due to your service as Special Counsel, the Committee believes that you possess information that is vital to its oversight of this matter,” Jordan wrote in a letter accompanying his request.
The deposition is expected to take place behind closed doors. It comes as House and Senate Republicans have intensified scrutiny of Smith’s election-related investigation of Trump, describing it as a scandal that they argue unnecessarily swept up hundreds of Republican lawmakers, GOP entities, Trump allies, and media outlets.
Smith has repeatedly defended his work as special counsel. His investigation resulted in two sets of criminal charges against Trump—one related to the 2020 election and another over the alleged retention of classified documents. Smith dropped both cases after Trump won the 2024 election, citing a Department of Justice policy that discourages prosecuting sitting presidents.
Smith has already offered to testify publicly before the House and Senate Judiciary Committees. However, a source familiar with Jordan’s request said the chairman prefers a deposition because each party can question Smith for an hour at a time and build a fuller record. In a public hearing, lawmakers typically question a witness in five-minute intervals.
The subpoena also includes a broad demand for documents and communications related to Smith’s tenure as special counsel. The request follows a DOJ letter to Smith’s attorneys dated Nov. 12—reviewed by Fox News Digital—stating it would make a “unique” accommodation to Congress by authorizing Smith to “provide unrestricted testimony to the Committee, irrespective of potential privilege.”
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