In what may prove to be one of the most consequential testimonies in modern American history, Jack Smith sat before the House Judiciary Committee this week and delivered a message that should resonate through every corner of our democracy: “I stand by my decisions as special counsel, including the decision to bring charges against President Trump. Our investigation developed proof beyond a reasonable doubt that President Trump engaged in criminal activity.”
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This is the kind of moral clarity we desperately need in Washington—a prosecutor willing to look power in the eye and speak truth without flinching. Not “concerns were raised” or “questions remain” or any of the other euphemistic dodge-language that has become the currency of political cowardice. Just the simple, unvarnished truth: Donald Trump committed crimes.
Smith’s testimony centered on Trump’s conspiracy to overturn the 2020 election—a sprawling scheme that culminated in the violent assault on our Capitol on January 6, 2021. Republicans on the committee, following their now-familiar playbook, attempted to flip the script entirely. They grilled Smith about obtaining toll records of phone calls between Trump and nine Republican senators who were being pressured to block the certification of Joe Biden’s electoral victory.
It was a transparent attempt at misdirection, but Smith wasn’t buying it. He drew a line that every American needs to understand: “He was free to say that he thought he won the election – he was even free to say falsely that he won the election. But what he was not free to do was violate federal law and use knowingly false statements about election fraud to target a lawful government function.”
This distinction is everything. Trump and his enablers want to frame this entire saga as a free speech issue—as if investigating a president’s lies about election fraud is somehow an assault on the First Amendment itself. But here’s what they’re conveniently ignoring: fraud isn’t protected speech. Conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding isn’t protected speech. And using demonstrably false statements to pressure government officials into breaking the law is absolutely not protected speech.
The First Amendment protects your right to hold and express opinions, even unpopular ones. It doesn’t protect your right to commit crimes while expressing those opinions. If I stand on a street corner and say “I think that bank should be robbed,” I’m protected. If I recruit accomplices, draw up plans, and attempt to actually rob the bank, I’ve committed a crime. Trump and his lawyers are trying to pretend there’s no difference.
Predictably, Trump is now calling for Smith to be prosecuted for having the audacity to investigate him. Let that sink in for a moment. A former president is demanding that a federal prosecutor be criminally charged for doing his job—for following the evidence wherever it led. This is the logic of authoritarianism, the mindset of dictators who believe that investigating their crimes is itself a crime. It should terrify every American who believes in the rule of law.
Meanwhile, Trump is weaponizing the legal system against anyone who dares to hold him accountable. This week alone, he filed a $5 billion lawsuit against JPMorgan Chase and CEO Jamie Dimon, claiming the bank “debanked” him after January 6. Never mind that JPMorgan has explicitly denied closing his accounts. Never mind that the lawsuit reads like a paranoid manifesto about “woke” banks persecuting conservatives. Truth doesn’t matter to Trump—only the narrative of perpetual victimhood.
The irony would be almost comical if the stakes weren’t so high. Trump, who marshaled the full power of the presidency in an attempt to overturn an election, is now suing a private bank for supposedly discriminating against him because of his political views. Trump, who faces mountains of credible evidence documenting multiple crimes, is demanding that the prosecutor who investigated those crimes be locked up. It’s projection on a scale that would make Freud’s head spin.
And then there’s the question of Trump’s health—a question his press operation is working overtime to dismiss. Photographs from the World Economic Forum in Davos show a massive bruise covering the back of Trump’s left hand—the kind of deep purple and blue discoloration that medical professionals say could indicate serious vascular problems or clotting issues. The White House claims he bumped it on a signing table, but video footage from the event shows no such incident occurring.
We also learned that Trump takes 325 milligrams of aspirin daily—four times the standard preventative dose—despite explicit recommendations from doctors. Medical experts warn that doses this high significantly increase bleeding risks, which could explain the dramatic bruising. But rather than address these legitimate health concerns, the White House offers implausible explanations and hopes we’ll all look the other way.
During that same Davos trip, Trump repeatedly referred to Greenland as “Iceland” in public remarks—a verbal stumble his press secretary later tried to spin by insisting he was actually calling Greenland a “piece of ice.” Right. And I suppose when he served hamberders at the White House, he was really making a sophisticated commentary on German linguistics. We all remember how Trump and his allies mercilessly attacked Joe Biden for similar verbal gaffes, questioning whether he was mentally competent to serve. Apparently, those standards only apply to Democrats.
Here’s what connects all of these threads: we’re watching a 79-year-old man who attempted to overthrow an election, who faces overwhelming documentary and testimonial evidence of criminal conduct, who can’t seem to distinguish Greenland from Iceland, and who is now using the legal system as a cudgel against anyone who holds him accountable—all while visible signs suggest his physical health may be deteriorating before our eyes.
Jack Smith told the truth this week. He presented evidence. He explained his reasoning. He stood by his investigation. He reminded America that we are—or at least, we’re supposed to be—a nation where no one is above the law. Not the rich. Not the powerful. Not even the president.
The question now is whether the American people will stand with that truth, or whether we’ll allow Trump’s avalanche of lies, frivolous lawsuits, and authoritarian impulses to bury it forever. Democracy doesn’t defend itself. It requires citizens willing to see clearly, speak honestly, and demand accountability from those who wield power.
Jack Smith did his part. Now it’s our turn. Share this story. Subscribe to support our work. That is how we win.
