Jack Smith’s Team Caught Red-Handed After Allegedly Sharing Classified Info While Accusing Trump of the Same Crime

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Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-IO) has released internal Justice Department records showing officials raised concerns about the handling of classified information inside former Special Counsel Jack Smith’s office while it was prosecuting former President Donald Trump in the classified documents case.

The documents, made public July 8, contain internal emails discussing several alleged security lapses involving classified materials during Smith’s investigation into Trump’s handling of documents stored at Mar-a-Lago.

According to the records, Justice Department personnel expressed concerns about classified information being accessed without verification that individuals had the required “need to know” authorization.

The communications also referenced instances in which classified materials were reportedly left unattended or could not be immediately accounted for.

One series of emails from July 2023 discussed individuals receiving access to classified information before officials confirmed they had the appropriate authorization.

Another set of emails from April 19, 2024, described concerns involving a Sensitive Compartmented Information Facility, or SCIF, used by personnel assigned to the Special Counsel’s Office.

According to the communications, the secure facility had been left open overnight and possibly longer.

One Justice Department official wrote that “no one opened it yesterday because no one closed it the day before,” prompting another official to respond, “That’s a violation and incident so I need to know the details.”

The emails also included reminders from Justice Department Litigation Security Group official Carli Rodriguez-Feo urging personnel to inspect the SCIF before leaving each day because of limited staffing available to monitor the secure facility.

The released records identify several members of Smith’s office who were referenced in the internal communications, including Stephanie Van Buskirk, Molly Gaston, Thomas Windom, Julie Edelstein and William O’Neil, per Trending Politics.

According to the emails, Van Buskirk was identified as the individual who had opened the SCIF on the day before officials discovered it had remained unsecured.

Grassley released the documents as part of ongoing congressional oversight of the Justice Department and the Special Counsel’s Office.

The records were generated while Smith’s office was prosecuting Trump on charges alleging he improperly retained classified government documents after leaving office.

Trump pleaded not guilty in the case and repeatedly argued that the investigation represented politically motivated lawfare.

The newly released emails do not indicate that classified information was publicly disclosed or compromised, nor do they allege criminal misconduct by members of Smith’s team.

Instead, they document internal discussions among Justice Department personnel regarding potential security protocol violations and efforts to address them.

The release is likely to fuel additional scrutiny from congressional Republicans, who have criticized Smith’s investigation and questioned whether the Special Counsel’s Office followed the same security standards it sought to enforce in its prosecution of Trump.