Watchdog agency investigating ex-Trump prosecutor Jack Smith for alleged illegal political activity

BRIDGEWATER N J AP An independent watchdog agency responsible for enforcing a law against partisan political activity by federal employees has opened an inspection into Jack Smith the Justice Department special counsel who brought two criminal cases against then-candidate Donald Trump before his vote to the White House last year The Office of Special Counsel authenticated Saturday that it was examining Smith on statements he engaged in political activity through his inquiries into Trump Smith was named special counsel by then-Attorney General Merrick Garland in November and his special counsel title is entirely distinct from the agency now researching him The office has no criminal enforcement power but does have the authority to impose fines and other sanctions for violations It was not clear what basis exists to contend that Smith s investigations were political in nature or that he violated the Hatch Act a federal law that bans certain masses bureaucrats from engaging in political activity Sen Tom Cotton an Arkansas Republican had earlier this week encouraged the office to scrutinize Smith s programs and had alleged that his conduct was designed to help then-President Joe Biden and his vice president Kamala Harris both Democrats Smith brought two cases against Trump one accusing him of conspiring to overturn the results of the presidential electoral process and the other of hoarding classified documents at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida Both were brought in well over a year before the presidential vote and indictments in the two cases cited what Smith and his gang described as clear violations of well-established federal law Garland has repeatedly disclosed politics played no part in the handling of the cases Both cases were abandoned by Smith after Trump s November win with the prosecutor citing longstanding Justice Department agenda prohibiting the indictment of a sitting president There was no immediate indication that the same office exploring Smith had opened investigations into the Justice Department special counsels who were appointed by Garland to investigate Biden and his son Hunter The White House had no immediate comment on the study into Smith which was first disclosed by The New York Post The office has been riven by leadership tumult over the last year An earlier chief Hampton Dellinger was abruptly fired by the Trump administration and initially sued to get his job back before abandoning the court fight Trump s transaction representative Jamieson Greer is also serving as acting special counsel Trump selected as his replacement Paul Ingrassia a former right-wing podcast host who has praised criminally charged influencer Andrew Tate as a extraordinary human being and promoted the false claim that the electoral process was rigged A Senate panel was set to consider his nomination at a hearing last month but it was pulled from the agenda