Official DOJ Complaint Filed Against Jack Smith

An official ethics complaint was lodged against Department of Justice special counsel Jack Smith on Tuesday, alleging his prosecution of former President Donald Trump constitutes blatant election interference.

The complaint, filed by Republican Rep. Elise Stefanik of New York, Chair of the House GOP Conference, was addressed to Jeffrey Ragsdale of the DOJ’s Office of Professional Responsibility. Stefanik accused Smith of egregious ethics violations warranting disciplinary action.

Smith oversees two federal criminal cases against the former president and presumptive 2024 Republican White House nominee.

One case implicates Trump in alleged crimes related to election interference stemming from his contestation of the 2020 election, while another involves accusations of mishandling classified documents. The Justice Department seeks imprisonment for Trump in both cases, totaling nearly four dozen federal charges, as noted by Politico.

Stefanik asserted in her complaint that Smith’s prosecution endeavors aim to suppress voters' will by criminally targeting a leading candidate. She accused Smith of attempting to expedite Trump's trial before the 2024 election, citing what she views as his biased pursuit of legal action.

"It’s obvious to any reasonable observer that Jack Smith is trying to interfere with the 2024 election and stop the American people from electing Donald Trump," Stefanik declared in a statement accompanying the complaint filing.

She contended that Smith's actions violate DOJ policies and demonstrate personal bias, bringing disrepute to the Justice Department and the federal government. Stefanik urged appropriate disciplinary measures against Smith for his alleged misconduct.

In the formal complaint, Stefanik highlighted Smith’s purported violations of DOJ policy by hastening the federal January 6th case against Trump and disregarding the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia's stay of proceedings. She characterized Smith's legal actions during the stay period as misconduct, emphasizing the need for an ethics investigation to hold him accountable.

Stefanik called on Ragsdale to promptly initiate an investigation into Smith's conduct.