Jack Smith Says Trump 'Caused And Exploited' January 6 Capitol Attack, Defends Election Interference Probe

(MENAFN- Live Mint) The January 6, 2021, attack on the US Capitol“does not happen” without Donald Trump, former special counsel Jack Smith told lawmakers, describing the Republican president as the“most culpable and most responsible person” in the criminal conspiracy to overturn the 2020 election results.

Smith's remarks were revealed after the Republican-led House Judiciary Committee on Wednesday released the transcript and video of a closed-door deposition he gave earlier this month.

Smith defends investigations as evidence-driven

During the day-long December 17 deposition, Smith repeatedly rejected Republican claims that his investigations into Trump were politically motivated or designed to block Trump from returning to the White House.

“The evidence here made clear that President Trump was by a large measure the most culpable and most responsible person in this conspiracy,” Smith said.“These crimes were committed for his benefit.”

“So in terms of why we would pursue a case against him, I entirely disagree with any characterization that our work was in any way meant to hamper him in the presidential election,” he added.

'The attack does not happen without him'

Smith said the evidence showed Trump's actions directly led to the Capitol riot.

“The attack that happened at the Capitol, part of this case, does not happen without him,” Smith said.“The other co-conspirators were doing this for his benefit.”

Smith said Trump knowingly spread false claims of election fraud, inflaming supporters and directing them toward the Capitol on January 6.

“He made false statements to state legislatures, to his supporters in all sorts of contexts,” Smith said, adding Trump knew in advance that his supporters were angry.

Trump 'caused it and exploited it,' Smith says

Smith said the evidence showed Trump both caused and exploited the violence once it began.

“He caused it and he exploited it and it was foreseeable to him,” Smith told lawmakers.

Smith added that Trump refused to act as the violence unfolded and instead escalated tensions.

“Once the attack on the Capitol happened, he refused to stop it,” Smith said.“He instead issued a tweet that without question in my mind endangered the life of his own vice president.”

Evidence built on testimony from Republicans

Smith said one of the strongest elements of the case was testimony from Trump allies and Republican officials who cooperated with investigators.

“Our case was built on, frankly, Republicans who put their allegiance to the country before the party,” Smith said.

He cited testimony from a Pennsylvania elector and former Republican congressman who described the effort to overturn the election as illegal.

Accounts from Republicans willing to challenge false claims of election fraud, even at personal or political risk, formed what Smith called the“most powerful” evidence.

Phone records of GOP lawmakers defended

Smith also addressed Republican outrage over his team obtaining phone records of GOP lawmakers who communicated with Trump on January 6.

Smith said the move was lawful and that responsibility lay with Trump, not prosecutors.

“Well, I think who should be accountable for this is Donald Trump,” Smith said.“He directed his co-conspirators to call these people to further delay the proceedings.”

“If Donald Trump had chosen to call a number of Democratic senators, we would have gotten toll records for Democratic senators,” he added.

Jim Jordan and Capitol fear cited

Smith referenced testimony from Trump's former chief of staff Mark Meadows, who told investigators that Rep. Jim Jordan had been in contact with the White House during the riot.

“I've never seen Jim Jordan scared of anything,” Smith recalled Meadows saying, adding that fear among lawmakers underscored the seriousness of the attack.

SUV incident claim partially corroborated

Smith said investigators examined former White House aide Cassidy Hutchinson's claim that Trump grabbed the steering wheel of his presidential SUV when Secret Service agents refused to take him to the Capitol.

Smith said the officer in the vehicle confirmed Trump was“very angry” and wanted to go to the Capitol, though the account did not fully match Hutchinson's version.

Cases dropped after Trump's 2024 win

Trump had been indicted for conspiring to overturn the 2020 election and for mishandling classified documents at his Florida estate. Both cases were abandoned after Trump won the 2024 election, with Smith citing Justice Department policy barring prosecution of a sitting president.

Smith said he believed the evidence was strong enough to secure convictions, despite the cases being dropped.

The released deposition marks Smith's only appearance before Congress since stepping down as special counsel last year.

(With AP inputs)

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