Special counsel Jack Smith, who has brought federal charges against former President Donald Trump, is an “overzealous” prosecutor who relies on ethically dubious tactics, including media leaks and enticing witnesses, say those who have been caught in his snare.
Mr. Smith headed the Justice Department’s Public Integrity Section during the Obama administration from 2010 to 2015. He led a team of 30 prosecutors pursuing public corruption cases against major political figures.
Mr. Smith and other prosecutors — some working on the Trump case — have followed a familiar playbook. The script earned Mr. Smith a reputation as a hard-driving, intense prosecutor, but a string of mistrials and overturned convictions led to sharp rebukes from federal judges, including U.S. Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr.
“These are no white knights. They are very dangerous and will use any tactics to win at all costs,” said former Rep. Rick Renzi, an Arizona Republican whom Mr. Smith’s team convicted in 2013 on corruption and fraud charges.