NEW: Jack Smith set to testify on 'Arctic Frost' investigation

This video covers Fox News’s report on Special Counsel Jack Smith’s scheduled public testimony before the House Judiciary Committee regarding his criminal investigation into President Trump and the FBI’s “Arctic Frost” investigation.

According to Fox News, House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan alleges that Smith paid a confidential human source $20,000 and plans to question Smith about the nature and purpose of those payments. Jordan claims that such payments raise concerns, particularly given that Smith allegedly had the authority to subpoena witnesses without compensation. Fox News reports that Jordan compared the situation to the FBI’s past payments to Christopher Steele for the Dossier, suggesting a pattern of concerning investigative practices.

Fox News alleges that Smith obtained phone records from Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy approximately 16 days after McCarthy became Speaker in January 2023. According to the video, Smith’s team allegedly sought phone logs covering a two-month period from Election Day 2020 through January 7, 2021. Fox News claims that Smith’s team allegedly requested a court order preventing AT&T from notifying McCarthy that his records had been obtained, with Smith allegedly arguing that McCarthy posed a flight risk and could tamper with evidence. Jordan states in the video that such characterizations of the Speaker of the House as a flight risk were implausible.

The video reports that Smith allegedly also obtained phone records from Chairman Jordan himself over a 2.5-year period, as well as from several senators. Fox News notes that Jordan claims Smith was “slapped down” by courts on multiple occasions, including when an appellate court allegedly required him to substantially narrow a gag order placed on President Trump, and when the U.S. Supreme Court ruled on Trump’s immunity.

Fox News further reports that Smith allegedly issued subpoenas to financial institutions including JPMorgan Chase for banking records related to President Trump and Republicans. The video includes a discussion of JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon’s response to questions about complying with the subpoena, with Dimon allegedly stating that the bank follows the law when served with subpoenas.

According to Fox News, the Justice Department has since changed its policies regarding obtaining phone records from members of Congress, now requiring prosecutors to notify judges when a phone number belongs to a member of a separate branch of government.

In Fox News’s Own Words

“You paid a confidential human source $20,000. What’d you pay him for? Were there multiple payments?”

“Jack Smith was so determined to go get President Trump, he was willing to do all kinds of things.”

“This just shows the degree Jack Smith was willing to go. He got slapped down in court multiple times.”

Why it matters: Fox News frames this testimony as an opportunity for congressional Republicans to publicly examine what they allege were aggressive investigative tactics in a high-profile prosecution, raising questions about the scope of prosecutorial authority and the involvement of private corporations in government investigations.