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Who is Jack Smith and where is he now? Biden's special counsel tapped GOP Senators' phones, FBI claims
Special Counsel Jack Smith allegedly tapped phones of eight GOP Senators in the Jan 6 probe, FBI’s Kash Patel told Fox News, citing a 2023 document.
Jack Smith, special counsel of the US Department of Justice under Joe Biden, allegedly tapped the phones of at least eight GOP Senators as part of his probe into the January 6 Capitol Hill riots, the FBI claimed.
Fox News reported citing FBI Director Kash Patel, who alleged that Smith and his team surveilled the phone calls of at least eight GOP Senators Substantiating his allegations, Patel also provided Fox a document dated September 27, 2023, that showed that Smith was given permission to look into limited phone records of the Senators as part of operation ‘Arctic Frost'.
The GOP Senators listed in the document are: Bill Hagerty of Tennessee, Cynthia Lummis of Wyoming, Dan Sullivan of Alaska, GOP Rep. Mike Kelly of Pennsylvania, Josh Hawley of Missouri, Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee, Ron Johnson of Wisconsin, Tommy Tuberville of Alabama.
Who Is Jack Smith?
Jack Smith joined the Biden administration in November 2022 as a Special Counsel in the DOJ to lead an independent investigation into Donald Trump. His findings have led to the President's indictment, and, it goes without saying, over the course of the investigation and the trial, Smith turned into one of Trump's top enemies.
Smith was appointed as a Special Counsel by the then Attorney General Merrick Garland to lead an investigation into Trump in the classified documents case and the case of trying to overturn the 2020 election results - two of the most high-profile probe into the POTUS carried out by the Biden administration.
The investigation into President Trump was an elaborate affair that involved 20 DOJ prosecutors, headed by Smith. Over a period of two years, the team conducted a comprehensive investigation, spanning grand jury testimonies, multiple subpoenas, and asking a federal judge to hold Trump in contempt for non-compliance with a subpoena.
It is a connection with this probe that Smith allegedly tapped the phones of the GOP Senators, the FBI claims in the document.
Also read: Which GOP senators had their calls tapped in Jack Smith's 'Arctic Frost’ probe? See full list
Despite all the effort from Smith and his team, the probe fell through as Trump was reelected President in November 2024. All charges were subsequently dropped as the DOJ's policy prohibits prosecuting sitting presidents.
Where Is Jack Smith Now? What We Know
After both the investigations into Trump fell through, Jack Smith resigned from his position as Special Counsel on January 7, 2025, shortly before Trump took office. Since then, he has been under investigation by the Trump administration and has largely stayed away from the public eye.
Smith and his wife, documentary filmmaker Katy Chevigny, moved from the Netherlands to Washington, DC in 2022 after Smith's appointment. Since his resignation, they have moved out of DC, but their current whereabouts are not known.
Smith reportedly also sold a home he owned in Nashville, Tennessee, in August 2023.
