Sen. Hagerty asks Tennessee bar board to pursue disbarment of Jack Smith
Sen. Bill Hagerty (R-TN) filed a complaint with Tennessee's attorney disciplinary board asking it to seek the disbarment of former special counsel Jack Smith over a nondisclosure order tied to senators' phone records.
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The story, neutrally told
Sen. Bill Hagerty (R-TN) has filed a formal complaint asking Tennessee's attorney disciplinary board to investigate former special counsel Jack Smith and pursue his disbarment. Raw StoryL “A Republican senator has filed a formal complaint asking Tennessee's attorney disciplinary board to investigate former special counsel Jack Smith and pursue his disbarment.” Read at Raw Story ↗ BreitbartR “Sen. Bill Hagerty (R-TN) has filed a bar complaint against former special counsel Jack Smith” Read at Breitbart ↗ The four-page letter, dated Wednesday, went to R. Culver Schmid, chairman of the Board of Professional Responsibility of the Supreme Court of Tennessee. Raw StoryL “sent a four-page letter dated Wednesday to R. Culver Schmid, chairman of the Board of Professional Responsibility of the Supreme Court of Tennessee” Read at Raw Story ↗ Hagerty says Smith subpoenaed Verizon for records of calls by him and other senators during the investigation of Donald Trump's efforts to overturn the 2020 election, with a nondisclosure order barring Verizon from telling anyone, including the senators. Raw StoryL “Smith subpoenaed Verizon for non-content records of calls made by Hagerty and other sitting senators.” Read at Raw Story ↗ BreitbartR “accompanying the subpoena to Verizon was a nondisclosure order forbidding Verizon from telling anyone–myself included” Read at Breitbart ↗
Chief U.S. District Judge James Boasberg issued the order. BreitbartR “The nondisclosure order was issued by District of D.C. Chief Judge James Boasberg” Read at Breitbart ↗ Hagerty argues Smith's request omitted that the records belonged to members of Congress, the Speech or Debate Clause, and a law letting Senate service providers notify the Senate, breaching the duty of candor in one-sided proceedings. Raw StoryL “Smith's request to the judge left out the fact that the records belonged to members of Congress.” Read at Raw Story ↗ BreitbartR “when a lawyer goes to a judge without the other side present, the lawyer has a special duty not to withhold key information” Read at Breitbart ↗ He also claims the order was apparently written by Smith and signed by the judge, and cites Smith's "lack of remorse" and a chilling effect on legislative communications. Raw StoryL “apparently also written by Smith, and rubber-stamped by the judge.” Read at Raw Story ↗ BreitbartR “the broader harm to our constitutional order, including the chilling effect on legislative communications; and his lack of remorse.” Read at Breitbart ↗
Raw Story reports that Smith told the Senate Judiciary Committee on Tuesday that the nondisclosure orders were submitted consistent with the law and department policy. Raw StoryL “we submitted these nondisclosure orders consistent with the law and department policy.” Read at Raw Story ↗ Smith holds a Tennessee law license and was acting U.S. attorney for the Middle District of Tennessee in 2017, and a Tennessee ruling could prompt reciprocal discipline elsewhere. Raw StoryL “Smith holds a Tennessee law license, worked as a federal prosecutor in Nashville and served as acting U.S. attorney for the Middle District of Tennessee in 2017.” Read at Raw Story ↗ In a social media post, Hagerty said Verizon was "next up" for scrutiny. BreitbartR ““Next up, @Verizon,” the senator warned at the end of his post.” Read at Breitbart ↗ Raw StoryL “Verizon would be "next up" for scrutiny.” Read at Raw Story ↗
Every sentence links to the reporting it rests on.
Left1 outlet
- Framing
- Frames the complaint as a political move by a 'MAGA senator', but reports the allegations in detail and includes Smith's stated defence.
- Emphasis
- The allegations, Smith's Senate testimony, and the possible reach of reciprocal discipline.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Does not quote Hagerty's 'partisan actor' charge.
- Charged language
- “MAGA senator”
Centre0 outlets
No centre outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.
Right1 outlet
- Framing
- Leads with Hagerty's own words about misconduct damaging the constitutional order, and relays his letter at length.
- Emphasis
- Hagerty's legal argument and quotes, and Smith's two indictments of Trump; links to a separate report on journalists' communications.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Omits Smith's testimony that the orders followed law and policy, and the reciprocal-discipline point.
- Charged language
- “blatantly partisan actor”“prosecutorial misconduct”
What every side reports
- Hagerty filed the complaint with Tennessee's Board of Professional Responsibility, addressed to chairman R. Culver Schmid.
- The complaint concerns a Verizon subpoena for senators' phone records and a nondisclosure order issued by Chief Judge James Boasberg.
- Hagerty asks the board to pursue disbarment and said Verizon is 'next up'.
Where accounts differ
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Whether Smith's conduct was misconduct
- Left
- Reports Hagerty's allegations and includes Smith's testimony that the orders were consistent with law and department policy.
- Right
- Presents Hagerty's account largely unchallenged, including his description of Smith as a 'partisan actor' and of 'intentional conduct'; does not include Smith's response.
Bill Hagerty person
Says Smith failed to disclose critical facts and law to a federal court, stripped senators of legal recourse, and should be disbarred.
“Smith “failed to disclose critical facts and law to a federal court.”” — Breitbart
“the most serious remedy possible — disbarment —” — Raw Story
Jack Smith person
Per Raw Story, told the Senate Judiciary Committee the nondisclosure orders were consistent with law and department policy; no response to the complaint is reported.
“we submitted these nondisclosure orders consistent with the law and department policy.” — Raw Story
Left1 article
-
MAGA senator targets Jack Smith with legal sanctions: 'Most serious remedy possible'
Mixed Labels Hagerty a 'MAGA senator' yet reports the complaint in a mostly straightforward way and includes Smith's defence.
Centre0 articles
No coverage yet.
Right1 article
-
Sympathetic Relays Hagerty's letter and X post at length, adopting his framing of Smith's conduct without a response from Smith.
- 30 Sep 17:59 First Raw StoryL MAGA senator targets Jack Smith with legal sanctions: 'Most serious remedy possible'
- 30 Sep 23:42 +5h 43m BreitbartR Sen. Hagerty Files Bar Complaint Against Jack Smith: 'His Prosecutorial Misconduct Damaged Our Constitutional Order'
Times are when each article was published, or when we first saw it if the outlet gave no time.