The scene in Washington on Thursday showed exactly why hardworking Americans have lost faith in a justice system that looks more like a political theater than a fair court of law. Former special counsel Jack Smith sat before the House Judiciary Committee and tried to defend prosecutions that many on our side see as selective and politicized; Republicans grilled him, and the country watched.
California Rep. Kevin Kiley didn’t mince words on Newsmax, telling viewers that Smith’s conduct was “truly unprecedented” and raising alarms about a prosecutor who repeatedly overstepped ordinary limits. Kiley pointed to subpoenas of congressional phone records and gag-order efforts as examples of an overbearing special counsel who acted without the humility and restraint the job demands. Americans who cherish free speech and separation of powers should hear that warning and take it seriously.
What Republicans uncovered on the dais — and what Kiley bluntly highlighted — was a pattern of aggressive investigative tactics that placed the machinery of justice over ordinary citizens and even elected leaders. Subpoenaing the speaker’s phone records and seeking nondisclosure orders that kept members of Congress in the dark is not normal prosecutorial behavior; it smells like an abuse of power dressed up as law enforcement. If we accept that as permissible, we are handing over the last safeguards that protect political dissent.
Smith did what every embattled bureaucrat does when under pressure: insist on nonpartisanship and claim the evidence justified every step. He told lawmakers his office developed proof and that he would make the same charging decisions again, but that defense rings hollow when so many questions remain about witnesses, selective charging, and the timing of these actions. The public deserves more than confident declarations from the same institutions that have shown a habit of bending rules for political ends.
Other Republicans on Newsmax echoed Kiley’s outrage, saying Thursday’s hearing pulled back the curtain on a weaponized Department of Justice that targeted conservatives, lawmakers and ordinary Americans alike. From Rep. Chip Roy’s insistence that Smith “gave that game up” to Sen. Ron Johnson’s warning that Smith appeared unrepentant, the message was clear: oversight must not be a photo op, it must lead to consequences. Congress must follow the evidence and hold accountable anyone who used federal power to pick political winners and losers.
This moment is bigger than one man or one hearing; it’s about whether Americans can trust institutions to treat everyone equally under the law. Conservatives should be loud, organized and relentless: demand full transparency, demand that the Justice Department answer for its unprecedented steps, and demand reforms that prevent future prosecutors from weaponizing power against political opponents. The Republic was not founded to be governed by prosecutors — it was founded to protect the people, and it’s time we make sure our institutions remember that.
