Jim Jordan Refers Ex-Jack Smith Aide to DOJ for Criminal Prosecution Over Obstruction

House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan referred Thomas Windom, a former top deputy to special counsel Jack Smith, to the Department of Justice for criminal prosecution Wednesday, accusing him of obstructing a congressional investigation into the DOJ’s election-related probes.

In a letter to Attorney General Pam Bondi, Jordan cited Windom’s refusal to answer key questions during a closed-door hearing as evidence of obstruction of justice. Windom had previously appeared before the committee under subpoena after failing to satisfy lawmakers in a prior voluntary session.

“Congress cannot perform its oversight function if witnesses who appear before its committees corruptly refuse to provide information that the law requires them to furnish,” Jordan wrote. “The obstruction of a committee investigation undermines Congress’s core constitutional oversight obligations.”

Jordan blasted Windom for refusing to answer questions about the special counsel’s coordination with the now-defunct House January 6 Committee, surveillance efforts targeting Rep. Scott Perry, and the investigation into other Republican members of Congress.

Windom repeatedly cited his Fifth Amendment rights and grand jury secrecy rules as justification for declining to cooperate. However, Jordan argued that the Justice Department had already cleared Windom to discuss those topics—and accused him of using baseless excuses to stonewall.

Jordan pointed to the more forthcoming testimony of prosecutor JP Cooney, who faced similar restrictions but provided the committee with more answers.

Transcripts show that Windom declined even to answer basic questions, such as whether he is currently employed as a lawyer. “I respectfully decline to respond for the reasons stated by my counsel,” he said.

Windom’s attorney, in a statement during the hearing, claimed the committee’s majority had “intentionally placed him on the horns of an impossible dilemma,” where he faced legal jeopardy no matter how he responded.

Jordan’s referral is the latest escalation in the House GOP’s ongoing investigation into alleged political bias in Jack Smith’s probe of President Donald Trump and Republican efforts to contest the 2020 election results.

Windom served as one of Smith’s top aides in the Justice Department’s prosecution of Trump and was reportedly central to building the January 6 case. Jordan has accused DOJ officials of colluding with congressional Democrats and improperly surveilling members of Congress during the investigation.

Last month, Jordan formally requested that Jack Smith himself appear before the House Judiciary Committee to answer questions related to his team’s conduct.

The Justice Department has not yet responded to the referral.