Republican-controlled committee refers former Trump prosecutor Jack Smith for criminal investigation

Committee accused of trying to weaponize' justice system via laughably weak and vindictive criminal referral'

Democrats have accused the US House of Representatives judiciary committee of a baseless" and vindictive" attack on former special prosecutor Jack Smith after it referred him for criminal prosecution for allegedly lying to Congress over his investigation into Donald Trump's efforts to overturn the 2020 election.

Committee chair Jim Jordan, an Ohio Republican, wrote to acting US attorney general Todd Blanche on Wednesday night, asserting Smith made willfully and intentionally false statements of material fact" during testimony about obtaining phone records of a number of Republican lawmakers.