Jack Smith Defends Subpoena of Republicans’ Phone Records in First Public Appearance Before Congress

Appearing before Congress in a public setting for the first time on Thursday, former Special Counsel Jack Smith offered a vigorous defense of his decision to subpoena the phone records of Republican lawmakers as part of his investigation into President Trump’s efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 election.

As part of his investigation, Smith subpoenaed service providers for the phone records of former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R., Calif.) and a group of Republican Senators. The toll records Smith acquired allowed him to see who the lawmakers were calling and who called them over a four-day period surrounding the January 6 Capitol riot, but not the content of those calls.

About the Author

James Lynch

James Lynch is a news writer for National Review. He previously was a reporter for the Daily Caller. He is a graduate of the University of Notre Dame and based in the Washington, D.C. area.

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Appearing before Congress in a public setting for the first time on Thursday, former Special Counsel Jack Smith offered a vigorous defense of his decision to subpoena the phone records of Republican lawmakers as part of his investigation into President Trump’s efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 election.

As part of his investigation, Smith subpoenaed service providers for the phone records of former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R., Calif.) and a group of Republican Senators. The toll records Smith acquired allowed him to see who the lawmakers were calling and who called them over a four-day period surrounding the January 6 Capitol riot, but not the content of those calls.

About the Author

James Lynch

James Lynch is a news writer for National Review. He previously was a reporter for the Daily Caller. He is a graduate of the University of Notre Dame and based in the Washington, D.C. area.