Former special counsel Smith sought phone records of 3 other GOP lawmakers, report says

Former special counsel Jack Smith sought the phone records of three previously unreported Republican congressmen during his investigation into President Donald Trump’s attempted subversion of the 2020 election, Fox News said Tuesday.

Smith’s team reportedly tried to obtain information about calls had by Representatives Andy Biggs of Arizona, Lee Zeldin – the current head of the Environmental Protection Agency – of New York and Brian Babin of Texas. The officials are part of a group of multiple other lawmakers whose records were sought in a probe into Trump’s efforts to stop the certification of the election results, according to Fox News.

The National News Desk hasn’t been able to confirm the report. It requested comment from the Department of Justice (DOJ) but hasn’t received a response and was unable to reach Smith.

The former counsel has said that he sought the records to confirm whom the lawmakers spoke to, when the calls took place and how long they were. Smith told the House judiciary committee in December that Trump tried to urge lawmakers over the phone to delay the confirmation of the election results.

“I did not choose those members, President Trump did,” Smith said.

Republicans have accused Smith of targeting opponents of former President Joe Biden. Smith, the GOP judiciary members say, tried to help the administration punish Trump as he sought a second term.

“Jack Smith tampered with evidence, surveilled sitting Members of Congress, and waged unprecedented lawfare against President Trump,” Representative Jim Jordan, the Ohio Republican who leads the committee, said in an October statement. “The American people are ready for the truth about the weaponized Biden-Harris Administration.”

Smith has maintained that his work was legal and uninfluenced by Trump’s 2024 campaign.

“I made my decisions in the investigation without regard to President Trump’s political association, activities, beliefs or candidacy in the 2024 presidential election,” he told the Judiciary committee. “We took our actions based on the facts and the law, the very lessons I learned early in my career as a prosecutor. We followed Justice Department policies and observed legal requirements.”

Smith ended his investigation before Trump took office last year because of the DOJ’s policy against prosecuting sitting presidents. Trump has continued to deny the 2020 election results, and many administration officials have all but rejected Biden’s victory.

The DOJ has also sought charges and investigations against many of Trump’s political opponents, for whom the president has urged prison time.

Have questions, concerns or tips? Send them to Ray at rjlewis@sbgtv.com.