{
  "id": 10757225,
  "title": "‘Won't be silenced’: Smith defends Trump probes",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/29/wont-be-silenced-smith-defends-trump-probes",
  "topic": "business",
  "section": "Business",
  "published": "2026-09-29T18:17:47.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Economic Times",
    "slug": "the-economic-times",
    "url": "https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/international/global-trends/i-will-not-be-silenced-ex-trump-prosecutor-jack-smith-stands-by-probes-hits-back-at-republicans/articleshow/134572356.cms"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Former US special counsel Jack Smith vowed on Tuesday that he would not be cowed by threats of prosecution amid Republican accusations that his investigations into former President Donald Trump were politically motivated and violated his authority. At a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing, Smith defended his probes against claims from Republicans that he abused his power by improperly obtaining information from Republican officials and groups.\n\nSmith addressed the committee's concerns over the unauthorized acquisition of phone records from Republican lawmakers during their investigations into efforts to prevent the certification of Trump's 2020 election loss. He maintained that his team's actions were justified, as they had evidence that Trump and his associates tried to contact senators prior to the January 6, 2021 Capitol riot, with the aim of delaying the certification of the election results.\n\nThe hearing focused on the use of toll records—essentially call logs—to uncover information that could be relevant to the ongoing investigations. Republicans, led by Representative Jim Jordan, chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, have accused Smith of making false statements about the phone records, prompting Smith's lawyers to assert that he answered questions truthfully and did not provide unnecessary information.\n\nAs Republicans continue to scrutinize Smith's investigations, which ultimately led to two dismissed criminal cases against Trump, Democrats on the committee defended his work, arguing that the goal was to hold Trump and others accountable for alleged unlawful conduct. They accused Republicans of using the hearing to push their own political agenda.",
  "summary": null,
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}