Ex–Special Counsel Returns To Capitol Hill As Lawmakers Press Claims Of Politicized Prosecution

Thursday, January 22, 2026, 8:00 A.M. ET. 3 Minute Read, By Jennifer Hodges, Political Editor: Englebrook Independent News,

WASHINGTON, DC.- Former Special Counsel Jack Smith is scheduled to testify publicly before the U.S. House Judiciary Committee on Thursday, marking his first open appearance before Congress to defend his conduct in the now-closed federal prosecutions of Donald J. Trump.

     The hearing is set for 10:00 a.m. ET in 2141 Rayburn House Office Building, is formally titled “Oversight of the Office of Special Counsel Jack Smith.” It places Smith under oath in a public forum after months of criticism from lawmakers who argue his investigations reflected aggressive, politically charged law-enforcement choices rather than the neutral application of the law.

Oversight After Closed Doors;

     Thursday’s appearance follows Smith’s December 17, 2025, closed-door deposition with the committee, conducted as part of its ongoing review of the Justice Department’s handling of the Trump investigations. A partially redacted transcript of that deposition was released publicly on December 31, 2025, revealing sharp questioning from Republican members about Smith’s prosecutorial judgment, investigative scope, and legal theories.

     House Republicans, led by Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan, have argued that Smith’s office exercised extraordinary discretion in targeting Trump, while failing to demonstrate the restraint expected of a prosecutor operating in a politically volatile environment.

The Prosecutions Under Scrutiny;

     Smith was appointed special counsel to oversee two high-profile federal matters involving Trump:

• allegations tied to efforts to challenge the 2020 presidential election, and
• a separate case involving the alleged mishandling of classified documents.

     Both cases were ultimately terminated after Trump’s return to office, with Smith citing the Department of Justice’s long-standing policy barring the prosecution of a sitting president. Critics have countered that the timing underscored what they view as a fundamentally flawed prosecutorial strategy, one that collapsed once political circumstances changed.

A Public Defense Long Demanded;

     While Smith has consistently denied political motivation, Thursday’s hearing represents the first opportunity for lawmakers and the public to evaluate those claims in an open setting. Members are expected to revisit issues raised privately in December, including charging decisions, investigative tactics, and whether Smith’s office exceeded traditional boundaries for special counsels.

     For many Republicans, the session is less about relitigating legal theories and more about accountability, testing whether Smith can convincingly justify actions that, in their view, placed the Justice Department at the center of partisan conflict.

How To Watch;

     The hearing will be carried live on C-SPAN and streamed through the House Judiciary Committee’s channels.

Editor’s Note: 

     This article is written by Jennifer Hodges, Political Editor, and is based on the House Judiciary Committee’s official hearing notice for January 22, 2026, publicly released materials from Jack Smith’s December 17, 2025, closed-door deposition, and contemporaneous reporting on the termination of the Trump prosecutions following the 2024 election. Englebrook Independent News will continue to report on developments from today’s hearing as testimony unfolds.