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Former special counsel Jack Smith is being considered for a criminal referral to the Justice Department, House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, said Wednesday, as Republicans examine whether Smith misled lawmakers during testimony about his investigation into President Donald Trump.

"We're already looking at that," Jordan told "Hannity" when asked about the potential criminal referral.

"Do we need to refer him to the Justice Department, to Attorney General Blanche, for them to go ahead and move forward with prosecution? We're looking at that as we speak."

FBI QUESTIONING CURRENT AND FORMER CIA OFFICIALS IN DOJ PROBE INTO JOHN BRENNAN'S ROLE IN RUSSIA ASSESSMENT

Jordan pointed to Smith's congressional testimony regarding his office's acquisition of telephone toll records, in which Smith said investigators did not obtain the contents of communications.

"Toll records were sought for historical telephone routing information, collected after calls had taken place, identifying the incoming and outgoing call numbers, the time of the calls and their duration," Smith testified at the time. "Toll records do not include the content of calls."

Jordan argued that newly disclosed information shows Smith's team obtained and reviewed congressional text messages, which he said contradicted Smith's testimony that investigators sought only telephone toll records — not texts or the broader contents of communications.

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In December, Smith told the committee, "No, I don't recall," when asked whether he had sought a search warrant for text messages from members of Congress, and responded, "Correct," when asked whether investigators had only sought toll records.

Smith was thrust back into the spotlight Wednesday during acting Attorney General Todd Blanche’s confirmation hearing when Sen. John Kennedy, R-La., pressed the Justice Department over newly revealed allegations regarding the Biden-era special counsel's review of lawmakers' text messages. 

Kennedy referred to Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, who announced Tuesday that records provided to the committee showed Smith's team obtained and reviewed text messages involving 44 current and former lawmakers as part of the Trump election probe. Kennedy was not among those on the list released by Grassley's office.

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Blanche confirmed that the DOJ is investigating.

"They got my phone logs," Jordan said.

"There were 44 members of the United States Congress — members, senators, members of the House. Even some Democrats, a handful of Democrats, were caught up in this. Again, you can't do that... it wasn't just the toll. I never forget the toll records issue," he continued.

Jordan accused Smith's team of going to "another branch of government" and obtaining the information without a warrant.

"They got it, and they didn't screen it, and then Jack Smith, under oath, says, 'No, no. We didn't get any contents.' Well, shazam, it looks like they did, and it looks like he wasn't square with us when he testified in front of our committee," he said.

Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., reacted similarly on Wednesday, insisting on "Hannity" that Smith should be "prosecuted."

"What did he do with the text messages? We don't know that yet. What we do know is he absolutely read them. He absolutely shared them with members of his team and all of that illegally," Hawley alleged.

"The Justice Department requires that there be screening for any members of Congress [regarding] their text messages. Jack Smith said under oath that he didn't seek the text messages of members of Congress, but in fact, we know that he did. So he lied, he violated the law, he violated the Constitution. This guy ought to be prosecuted."

Representatives for Smith did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment.

Fox News' Ashley J. DiMella contributed to this report.

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Controversial New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani is being torn to shreds for fraternizing with inmates at Rikers Island while they watched the World Cup semifinals on Wednesday afternoon.

The Associated Press filmed Mamdani walking into a recreation room where inmates in tan jumpsuits were watching the game between Argentina and England. He sat down at a table and smiled while speaking to the inmates as the audio of the game played in the background.

His voice was then dubbed over the video.

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"I hope that this shares with people who are incarcerated here on Rikers that they too are a part of New York City," Mamdani said. "The World Cup has been a magical moment for the entire city."

He also insisted in the impromptu on-camera remarks that the convicts were part of the New York City community.

"These are New Yorkers, and they will be New Yorkers when they get out of Rikers. They are New Yorkers today, and I wanted to make sure we could celebrate this moment together," the socialist mayor said.

Mamdani was scorched online for the stunt, with users launching into the mayor who has been viewed as soft-on-crime, and has recently cut NYPD's budget by about $22 million.

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"As usual, communists prioritizing criminals and leeches over the honest working middle class and the movers and shakers," one user said.

"Can this guy be on the right side of any subject," said another. "How dumb are New Yorkers, to see this guy and go 'yes. That’s the leader we need.'"

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A third wrote: "Mamdani is literally laughing in everyone’s face for electing him by openly palling around with criminals every chance he can get."

"Unbelievable. He's now partying with prisoners. Great job voting for him, New Yorkers!" said another.

"Only a violent commie bastard would glorify the worst of criminals," yet another lamented. "They are deliberately NOT PART of society because they lost the privilege. What the f--- message is raining charity on them trying to send?"

In the past, Mamdani notoriously questioned what purpose prisons serve, suggesting they should be abolished.

Meanwhile rapes are up 6.6% in New York City compared to this time last year. Mamdani was similarly excoriated online when he blamed the "definition of what counts as rape" for that statistic rising.

Mamdani's office did not respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment.

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FIRST ON FOX - Republican Congressman Greg Steube from Florida has filed an article of impeachment against Judge John E. Steele, Fox News Digital has learned.

House Resolution 1431 accuses Senior U.S. District Judge John E. Steele of the Middle District of Florida of committing "high crimes and misdemeanors" by ordering the release of convicted Cuban plane hijacker Miakel Guerra Morales from ICE custody.

Morales, who is an illegal immigrant from Cuba, was released from ICE custody following Judge Steele's July 8 order.

ILLEGAL ALIEN ‘PIRATE’ WHO HIJACKED PLANE TO US FREED BY CLINTON-APPOINTED JUDGE

"This is exactly the kind of activist judicial overreach the American people are sick of. Judge Steele had every legal justification to keep a convicted plane hijacker off our streets, and he chose to let him go instead," Congressman Steube said.

In 2003, Morales and several others assaulted a flight crew and hijacked a Cuban commuter airplane that he boarded in Nueva Gerona, DHS says.

Morales forced the pilot to fly more than 100 miles north to Monroe County, Florida, where it eventually landed at Key West International Airport.

The U.S. Marshals Service arrested him and charged him with aircraft piracy and conspiracy to interfere with a flight crew when the flight arrived.

He was convicted and sentenced to 22 years behind bars.

Despite the conviction, Judge Steele, who was appointed by President Bill Clinton, ordered Morales' release last week, citing a Supreme Court ruling governing the detention of foreign nationals whose removal cannot be carried out.

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"The Government cannot lock individuals in a cell indefinitely as a workaround for a stalled deportation process," the order said.

THREE-TIME DEPORTED ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT CHARGED WITH KILLING NORTH CAROLINA GIRL, 6, AFTER RUNNING STOP SIGN

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Officials say they are suspected of selling "seditious" books which incited "hatred" against authorities.

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Control of the waterway has become a key point of contention between the US and Iran, as a ceasefire deal falters.

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Five episodes of the award-winning children’s cartoon have been released in Australian Indigenous language for the first time.

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A repeat offender was charged with trespassing at Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker’s Chicago home over Independence Day weekend, prompting renewed criticism from Republicans and crime-policy critics over the Democrat’s public-safety record.

Dwayne Cortez Milton was arrested on the night of July 4 after he was seen allegedly jumping a fence and entering Pritzker’s backyard. Milton faces a trespassing charge but was released from custody pending trial, ABC 7 Chicago reported. 

Milton was ordered released in the trespassing case, but court documents show he pleaded guilty July 7 in a separate theft case and remains in custody. The suspect was allegedly under electronic monitoring at the time of the trespassing charge and had an extensive criminal history, CWB Chicago reported, citing court records.

Pritzker has been repeatedly criticized for his soft-on-crime policies, including the elimination of cash bail, opposition to mandatory minimum expansions, expanding parole opportunities and sentencing reform. Illinois became the first state to abolish cash bail statewide after Pritzker signed the SAFE-T Act in 2021, following years of Democratic-led criminal justice reform efforts in the state.

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Opponents to the SAFE-T Act have claimed it makes it harder to keep some repeat offenders detained before trial, while supporters say the law prevents wealth from determining whether defendants remain jailed before a trial.

Critics were quick to react on social media, arguing the incident underscored their concerns about Illinois’ criminal justice policies.

"A 10-time convicted felon slips his electronic monitor. The court isn't told for days. He's found in JB Pritzker's own backyard. How many more warnings does Illinois need before we admit the SAFE-T Act is failing," wrote GOP Illinois gubernatorial candidate Darren Bailey on X.

"Sorry to hear that, Governor. No one deserves to have their home violated like that. I hope you will take reforming the SAFE-T Act more seriously now," wrote Americans for Prosperity IL state director Brian Costin.

"The Governor is a victim of his own soft on crime policy. He has blood on his hands as many convicted felons continue to commit violent crimes daily," said Illinois Review contributor Mark Weyermuller.

President Donald Trump and Pritzker have repeatedly clashed over their sharply differing approaches to crime as the administration has ramped up its stronger stance on deploying National Guard members to back various large cities.

"Governor JB Pritzker should pick up the phone and call me," Trump posted on Truth Social at the end of June after 39 people were injured and 4 were dead in the Windy City over a weekend.

Fox News Digital reached out to Pritzker's office, the Chicago Police Department and the White House for comment.

WATCH: ANGEL MOM TURNS TABLES ON SANCTUARY POLITICIANS WITH BASIC QUESTION ABOUT THEIR PRIORITIES

Trump and Pritzker’s feud has reached some of its most heated points over the administration's immigration enforcement policies deporting illegal aliens. 

BIDEN JUDGE REJECTS TRUMP'S SANCTUARY CITIES LAWSUIT, SAYS EVEN A WIN WOULDN'T SOLVE DOJ'S PROBLEM

Pritzker, who is floated as a potential 2028 Democratic presidential candidate, has repeatedly defended Illinois' sanctuary policies and accused ICE agents of targeting "law-abiding" immigrants rather than dangerous criminals.

"I would like them to take real gang members and violent criminals off our streets — like, I would love it," he said in October. "But that’s not what they’re doing. They’re just going after Black and Brown people."

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