What Jack Smith Didn’t Say About Paid Confidential Informants

Former special counsel Jack Smith couldn’t answer how much in tax dollars went to confidential sources in his nearly two-year investigation of President Donald Trump. 

House Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, pushed Smith on the topic during the committee hearing on Thursday. Jordan noted that at least $20,000 went to a single source to review video and photos of the Jan. 6, 2021, breach of the U.S. Capitol, as part of Smith’s investigation into the incident.

Smith answered that he couldn’t remember if there were more such expenses.

“What I want to know is how much of that $35 million of taxpayer money did you give to confidential human sources?” Jodan asked. “We know you gave $20,000 to someone.”

Smith said the $20,000 was a payment from the FBI to a confidential source that he approved.

“My recollection regarding the $20,000, which is not a payment from me, I was approving a payment by the FBI to a confidential human source, who was reviewing video and photography,” Smith said.  

Jordan asked the identity of the source, but Smith said he did not know.

President Joe Biden’s attorney general, Merrick Garland, appointed Smith as special counsel to investigate Donald Trump over his challenge to the results of the 2020 election and his potentially unlawful possession of classified information. 

Smith ultimately secured indictments against Trump in both investigations.

Republican lawmakers grilled Smith on Thursday over his securing warrants to review congressional phone records without telling judges whom he was investigating.

Jordan asked Smith how many payments went to confidential sources, to which Smith responded that he did not know.

Jordan noted that Smith had information from multiple government agencies, the Republican National Committee, and members of Congress. 

“Why did you have to pay people for information?” Jordan asked.

“My recollection and understanding is the payment, the $20,000 that I approved, was for a confidential human source to assist in the review of video and photographic evidence showing people who were attacking the Capitol,” Smith said.