7 takeaways from Jack Smith's congressional testimony

[In It to Win It]

https://www.politico.com/news/2025/12/31/takeaways-jack-smith-congressional-testimony-00708747

House Republicans decided to publicly release the transcript of special counsel Jack Smith’s Dec. 17 closed-door deposition on New Year’s Eve — while most of Washington was tuned out for the holiday.

Smith used the day-long grilling before the House Judiciary Committee to mount a robust defense of his investigation into Donald Trump for seeking to subvert the 2020 election. He forcefully rebutted claims that his work was tainted by politics and delivered a granular defense of his office’s tactics and prosecution strategy — all while repeatedly restating his view that Trump was guilty of a historic crime. He also revealed some new information about his witness list, and gave Judiciary Republicans a new opening to attack Cassidy Hutchinson’s infamous testimony.

A spokesperson for Smith declined to comment.

Here’s what we learned from the 255-page transcript:

Smith built his case around Trump’s allies

Smith hadn’t made his final charging decisions

Lawmakers failed to knock Smith off his game

Smith forcefully rejected any hint of political bias

Smith didn’t pursue ‘uncooperative’ witnesses

Smith defends pursuit of lawmakers’ phone records

House GOP revel in Smith comments on Cassidy Hutchinson

[SleeplessinSoCal]

1. sad to see Cassidy Hutchinson singled out.

She put a lot on the line and is no doubt fearful of retribution.

[canetoad]

2. What's the latest on the Epstein files

Cos you can back it in that this release is the latest distraction.

Thanks for posting the summary.

[a kennedy]

3. Ah, loved this.......Smith forcefully rejected any hint of political bias.

Ya know so unlike the piece of shit POTUS, whose whole existence is retaliation, AND political bias. 🤬 🤬 🤬 🤬 🤬

[Igel]

4. Of course.

That by itself isn't really important. Do you really expect any prosecutor that's worth serious respect (and not just getting political 'vote for me!' points) to say otherwise? Letitia James ran on prosecuting Trump--to say she *wasn't* biased is to insult everything's intelligence. But for a DOJ appointee to deny it is basically like asking him if he's really a lizard person and not a mammal.

The judgment has to be not on what the guy says but on what he does and how he does it.

I'm seriously surprised at how excited people are at some of the "important take-aways" that for me are "d'uh" moments. If they weren't sort of necessary background true, his rep would be ruined and what he did possibly justiciable.

[Amaryllis]

5. What were the comments on Cassidy Hutchinson?

[NBachers]

9. He said Cassidy's testimony, including the "Grabbing the limo wheel incident," were 2nd or 3rd hand information, and

therefore not as strong as first-hand information.

[SunSeeker]

10. So? The GOP "revelled" in that? That doesn't mean what he said wasn't true.

Of course first hand info is stronger. But her recounting of what Tony Ornato said to her is first hand info. And he was in the limo.

[William Seger]

12. I seem to remember that she said she heard that from someone in the car

I can see why Smith would have no legal use for that, but that doesn't mean she tried to deceive anyone. Seems there were other incidents that she described as things she heard from others?

[Ms. Toad]

6. Note - the phone records do not include any content.

They were merely numbers involved, when the call started, and when the call stopped.

[Ms. Toad]

7. Didn't pursue uncooperative witnesses around 4 hours 29 minutes into the video. n/t

[NBachers]

8. Cheezebro - Now there's a name we haven't heard in a while.

"Smith repeatedly reminded lawmakers that he’s open to sharing the results of his classified documents investigation, but was restricted by the ruling from a federal judge in Florida who maintained Smith’s report must stay under seal."

Now I wonder, just who could that judge be?

[calimary]

11. Indeed!

And thanks to In It to Win It for sharing “7 takeaways from Jack Smith's congressional testimony”. Good stuff!

[Ms. Toad]

13. RE political bias.

Around 5 hours 39 minutes - an FBI agent considered as a witness in the case provided more information than requested, including personal emails. Those emails included a dispute between the potential witness and a family member about January 6. That agent was removed from consideration as a witness to avoid the appearance of the potential for the appearance of political bias (and to send a message to his staff that politics would play no role in the investigation).

Around 5:42 - questioning about putting information in the public domain before the election so people could use it to make voting decisions - absolutely not. Pointed to record - in which his office proactively communicated that it had no objection to their evidence in case (already submitted) being embargoed until Trump's team filed theirs (after the election) - at a stage when Smith had no obligation to respond to Trump's motion until AFTER the election..

[UTUSN]

14. K&R