Former Trump prosecutor Jack Smith defends investigation in House testimony

Ex-special counsel tells House panel US president's actions alone underpinned now-dropped prosecutions

Jack Smith, the former US justice department special counsel who brought two now-dropped criminal cases against Donald Trump, defended his investigation before a House of Representatives panel on Wednesday, telling lawmakers that the basis for the prosecutions rests entirely with President Trump and his actions".

Smith gave private testimony to the Republican-controlled House judiciary committee following months of disclosures from Trump appointees at the justice department, and Republican lawmakers intended to discredit Smith's investigation and bolster Trump's claims that the cases were an abuse of the legal system.