• A federal investigation targets Jack Smith, the former special counsel overseeing Trump-related cases.
• Senator Tom Cotton alleges Smith violated the Hatch Act aimed at preventing political bias.
• Charges against Trump related to election interference and classified documents were ultimately dropped.
• Experts, including former prosecutor Andrew Weissmann, suggest consequences of the investigation may backfire on Trump.
• Smith’s actions during the probes are accused of being politically motivated by Trump supporters.

A federal agency, the Office of Special Counsel (OSC), has opened an investigation into Jack Smith, who served as a special counsel overseeing two investigations into Donald Trump's actions regarding the 2020 election and classified documents. The investigation follows accusations from Trump and his Republican allies, notably Senator Tom Cotton, who claim Smith engaged in illegal political activity, particularly violating the Hatch Act, which restricts federal employees from political participation, according to SCMP and Channel News Asia.

Smith, appointed by former Attorney General Merrick Garland just before Trump announced his re-election bid, faced criticism for his handling of the investigations, which resulted in charges against Trump. However, both cases were dropped after Trump's re-election, highlighting concerns from proponents that Smith's actions were politically motivated, as echoed by Cotton's claims that Smith acted as "a political actor masquerading as a public official” according to TRT and India Times.

Amid the allegations, former federal prosecutor Andrew Weissmann cautioned that this investigation may unintentionally harm Trump, as it could lead to a trial where evidence against him would be presented. Weissmann emphasized that this scenario could have serious ramifications for Trump, suggesting that the investigation lacks legal merit and may not result in any charges against Smith, comments corroborated by HuffPost and The Hill.