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House Judiciary Chair Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) referred former Special Counsel Jack Smith to the Justice Department on Wednesday, alleging he knowingly made false statements during congressional testimony last year.
Why it matters: The referral escalates House Republicans' efforts to scrutinize the former special counsel who prosecuted President Trump, even though the Justice Department is not required to act on congressional criminal referrals.
Driving the news: "The responses provided by Mr. Smith gave the impression that neither Mr. Smith nor his team had access to the content of members' privileged text messages," Jordan alleged, referring to members of Congress, in a referral to acting Attorney General Todd Blanche.
- "We now know this to be false."
- Smith's attorneys did not immediately respond to Axios' request for comment.
- Blanche previously led Trump's criminal defense team in two federal cases brought by Smith.
Go deeper: 5 key takeaways from Jack Smith's deposition on the Trump probes
Editor's note: This is a breaking news story. Please check back for updates.
