Prosecutor who indicted Trump investigated for possible political bias

Washington.— Federal officials announced this Saturday the opening of an investigation against Jack Smith, the special prosecutor who led the legal cases against Donald Trump for the assault on the Capitol and the mishandling of classified documents.

The investigation was initiated by the Office of Special Counsel (OSC), under suspicion that Smith acted for political purposes. According to US media reports, the OSC is investigating possible violations of the Hatch Act, a law that limits the political activities of federal employees. The action comes after a formal request from Republican Senator Tom Cotton, who accused Smith of "unprecedented interference in the 2024 elections," which Trump won despite facing multiple lawsuits. Although the OSC does not have the ability to bring criminal charges, it can recommend disciplinary sanctions or refer its findings to the Department of Justice for further evaluation. Jack Smith was appointed in 2022 by then-Attorney General Merrick Garland to lead the investigations related to former President Trump, who had left office after losing the 2020 election to Joe Biden.

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Following his work, Trump was indicted in Washington for allegedly attempting to overturn the election results and inciting the assault on the Capitol on January 6, 2021. In addition, he faced another process in Florida for retaining classified documents after leaving the White House and storing them at his Mar-a-Lago residence. The former president denied the accusations at all times, calling them part of a "witch hunt" driven by the Biden Administration. However, after his victory in last year's presidential elections, Smith dropped the charges in both cases, because the Department of Justice is restricted from prosecuting a sitting president. The ongoing investigation against Smith adds a new chapter to the already controversial legal and political framework surrounding the key figures of the American electoral process.