Jamie Raskin

And I thank them for being here today.

Mr. Smith,

Thank you for appearing before the American people.

I'm glad that the committee has finally granted you the same chance to report your findings to the American people that every other special counsel investigating an American president has had.

The good chairman started by saying, it's all about the politics.

Well, maybe for them, but for us, it's all about the rule of law and who's gonna stand by the rule of law and who's going to oppose it.

And Mr. Smith, you're one of America's great

Prosecutors, for nearly three decades, you worked for justice under both Republicans and Democrats, the Manhattan DA office, where you prosecuted sex crimes and domestic violence cases, the Eastern District of New York, where you prosecuted murderers, rapists, gangbangers, and other violent criminals, leading the public integrity section.

At the Department of Justice, you brought prosecutions against corrupt public officials across the political spectrum.

When you went to The Hague as chief prosecutor in the Kosovo trial, you prosecuted war crimes and crimes against humanity perpetrated against thousands of innocent victims.

While others may have devoted their lives to corrupt self-enrichment, you have devoted your life to the rule of law and to public service.

You've never been prosecuted for anything.

You've never been convicted of anything.

As far as I can tell, you've never even been the subject of a disciplinary proceeding over the course of your multi-decade career.

But Donald Trump says you're a criminal and you belong in prison.

He says you belong in prison, not because you did anything wrong, mind you, but because you did everything right.

You pursued the facts.

You followed the law.

You stuck with extreme caution to every rule of professional responsibility.

You had the audacity to do your job.