House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan sent a letter to Attorney General Merrick Garland on Friday requesting any information, documents or communications between the Justice Department and Special Counsel Jack Smith's office that refer to or relate to the updated indictments against former President Donald Trump.

In the letter, first obtained by The Daily Caller, Jordan noted that Smith filed the indictment in the Trump election interference case after the Supreme Court ruled that the president has broad legal immunity for acts performed in official capacity. Jordan accused Smith of violating “long-standing” Justice Department policy aimed at protecting the U.S. democratic process.

Smith's new indictment includes the four original charges he filed against Trump in July, but does not include one about Trump “attempting to take advantage” of the Justice Department. It also changes language related to allegations that Trump acted outside his duties.

“On July 1, 2024, the United States Supreme Court issued its decision in Trump v. United States, explaining the scope of presidential immunity and reprimanding Special Counsel Jack Smith for violating this constitutional principle in his political prosecution of President Donald J. Trump. On August 27, 2024, Special Counsel Smith obtained an indictment against President Trump, attempting to correct the constitutional defects contained in the original indictment,” Jordan wrote in the letter.

“But in doing so, Special Counsel Smith appears to have violated long-standing Department of Justice policy intended to safeguard the democratic process. The Committee therefore needs to understand whether you pre-approved Special Counsel Smith's indictments or whether Special Counsel Smith continues to exercise prosecutorial power without your meaningful direction or oversight,” he continued.

“Special Counsel Smith obtained the indictment against President Trump just 10 days before early voting began in some states, and there is no doubt that the indictment will have some impact on the election, especially after the Supreme Court's opinion on presidential immunity casts significant doubt on Special Counsel Smith's ability to prosecute his original indictment,” Jordan added. (RELATED: Exclusive: House Republicans threaten to subpoena Jack Smith)

In his letter, Jordan requested the following:

• All documents and communications between the Chief Justice and the Office of Special Counsel Smith, including but not limited to the Office of the Attorney General, that refer to or relate to the indictment filed against President Trump on August 27, 2024.
• Did you personally approve the indictment filed against President Trump on August 27, 2024? If so, please provide sufficient documentation evidencing your approval.
• Have you evaluated the superseding indictment against President Trump in the context of the Department of Justice's long-standing policy guidance against prosecutorial action so close to an election? If so, please provide sufficient documentation to reflect your assessment of these matters. (RELATED: Exclusive: Gold Star Families Struggled to Get Trump to Arlington Until House Speaker Intervened)

Read the letter here:

(Get Callers Daily) — … by Henry Rogers

The lawsuit Smith filed against Trump in Washington, D.C., relates to his actions surrounding the 2020 presidential election and the January 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol.

U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan agreed to suspend legal proceedings while Trump's appeal is pending. Denied President Trump has attempted to have the lawsuit dismissed, asserting presidential immunity.

Trump's lawyers have accused Smith of “illegally” trying to speed up the case and asked the Supreme Court to reject his “partisan” request to rush a decision on the issue of Trump's executive immunity.

“In light of the Court's opinion, the Smith indictment is tantamount to the Biden-Harris Administration initiating prosecutorial action against an opponent in the upcoming election. There is no compelling argument as to why Special Counsel Smith could not have waited until after the election to file this indictment. Accordingly, it is difficult to see why this indictment would be filed now for any purpose other than to influence the outcome of the election,” Jordan added. (RELATED: EXCLUSIVE: J.D. Vance Criticizes Special Counsel Jack Smith's Data Gathering Warrants)

Jordan asked that all documents and information be submitted to the committee as soon as possible, and no later than 5pm on September 13th.

Smith also charged Trump with 40 counts of mishandling classified documents after his presidency ended in Florida. Trump's trial there was scheduled to begin in May but has now been postponed indefinitely.