Jack Smith, a veteran prosecutor, is currently overseeing two criminal investigations into former US President Donald Trump. Over the past two decades, Smith has pursued public officials both in the US and abroad, with varying degrees of success.
Smith, 54, has kept a low profile since his appointment as special counsel in the two investigations by the US Department of Justice. Attorney General Merrick Garland praised him as the “right choice” to handle these matters fairly and promptly.
On the other hand, Donald Trump has criticized Smith, characterizing him as a “deranged” man leading a “political witch hunt” against him.
Smith’s background includes working as an assistant district attorney in the Manhattan district attorney’s office and climbing up the ranks of the US attorney’s office in Brooklyn, where he handled cases involving violent gangs, white-collar fraud, and public corruption.
He also investigated the infamous assault of Haitian immigrant Abner Louima by New York police, and his work in this case contributed to his selection as special counsel in the Trump investigations.
In 2008, Smith served as a junior investigator for war crimes investigations at the International Criminal Court in The Hague, Netherlands, and later became the chief of the Justice Department’s public integrity unit, prosecuting federal crimes related to public bribery and election fraud.
While Smith has had notable victories, such as the conviction of former New York state Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver on corruption charges, he also faced setbacks, including the overturned conviction of former Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell.
Donald Trump has criticized Smith’s track record, accusing him of prosecutorial misconduct and harming people’s lives. However, Smith’s supporters point to his successful convictions and significant cases during his career.