Sat Aug 02 21:09:03 UTC 2025: **News Article:**

**Hatch Act Investigation Launched Into Former Trump Special Counsel Jack Smith**

WASHINGTON – The Office of Special Counsel (OSC), an independent federal agency, has opened an investigation into former Special Counsel Jack Smith following accusations of illegal political activity. The investigation was confirmed by multiple US news outlets, including the Associated Press and NBC News, on Saturday.

The investigation stems from allegations made by former President Donald Trump and his Republican allies, including Senator Tom Cotton, who accuse Smith of violating the Hatch Act, a federal law prohibiting certain public officials from engaging in political activity. These accusations have been made without the presentation of any concrete evidence.

Senator Cotton, in a recent social media post, accused Smith of being a “partisan Democrat who weaponized the law” against Trump leading up to the 2024 presidential election. Cotton stated he requested the OSC to investigate Smith’s actions, alleging they “likely violated the law to influence the election.”

Smith, appointed as special counsel by then-Attorney General Merrick Garland in November 2022, led two high-profile federal cases against Trump, focusing on the alleged mishandling of classified documents and efforts to overturn the 2020 election results. Trump had consistently denied any wrongdoing, alleging the prosecutions were politically motivated.

The cases were ultimately dropped by Smith after Trump’s re-election in November 2024, which shielded him from prosecution under established Justice Department policy. Smith resigned shortly before Trump’s inauguration in January.

A report from US prosecutors at the time stated that had Trump not been re-elected, he would have been convicted for “criminal efforts to retain power” following the 2020 election.

The White House has not yet issued a statement regarding the OSC’s investigation.

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