'Strange' omission in Jack Smith's testimony revealed by legal expert

A CNN legal expert revealed something surprising during former special counsel Jack Smith's testimony on Thursday.

Former federal prosecutor Elie Honig described how Smith omitted something in his first public testimony over his investigations of President Donald Trump before the House Judiciary Committee hearing. CNN anchor Briana Keilar asked Honig to respond to the questions involving the timing around Smith's pursuit of going to trial against Trump.

Trump had called for retaliation against people with whom he disagreed politically, which Smith discussed with lawmakers during the hearing.

Smith, a career federal prosecutor, was appointed as a special counsel by Attorney General Merrick Garland in November 2022 to investigate Trump's handling of classified documents and his role in the events surrounding the Insurrection on Jan. 6, 2021.

Smith led high-profile criminal investigations and prosecutions against Trump on multiple counts, including obstruction of justice and violations of the Espionage Act related to classified materials at Mar-a-Lago, though the cases faced significant legal challenges and delays, with Trump ultimately avoiding trial on these charges following his 2024 election victory.