President Trump and his allies have — without offering evidence — accused Smith of violating the Hatch Act, a federal law that bans certain public officials from engaging in political activity.

An independent watchdog agency responsible for enforcing a law against partisan political activity by federal employees has opened an investigation into Jack Smith, the Justice Department special counsel who brought two criminal cases against then-candidate Donald Trump before his election to the White House last year.

The U.S. Office of Special Counsel, an independent federal agency, is investigating former special counsel Jack Smith for alleged political violations of the Hatch Act