Episode Overview

Title: GOP Now Scared to Death to Release Jack Smith Video Depo
Date: December 25, 2025
Podcast: Legal AF by MeidasTouch
Host: Michael Popok (joined in spirit by Ben Meiselas and Karen Friedman Agnifilo)
Theme:
This episode dives into Special Counsel Jack Smith’s explosive nine-hour deposition before the House Oversight and Judiciary Committees—testimony that reportedly lays out overwhelming evidence of Donald Trump’s crimes, including election interference and violations related to classified documents. The episode scrutinizes why the GOP-controlled committees are refusing to release the video deposition, the public’s right to transparency, and the broader implications for democracy and justice. Michael Popok leads a passionate, urgent discussion about the unprecedented secrecy surrounding this testimony, demanding the release of the video and contextualizing it alongside similar historic instances.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Jack Smith Deposition: What Happened and Why It Matters

• Jack Smith gave nine hours of sworn testimony to the Oversight and Judiciary committees, presenting evidence that supports his case against Trump for:

  • Interfering with the 2020 election
  • Espionage Act violations
  • Obstruction of justice at Mar-a-Lago

• Unlike previous special counsels, Smith’s testimony was not delivered in a public hearing:

  • Robert Mueller (Russia probe), Robert Hur (Biden documents), and John Durham (Trump/Russia origins) all gave public testimonies.
  • Smith instead had to testify behind closed doors, over his own strenuous objections.

• Selective Leaks and Political Gamesmanship:

  • The GOP, particularly Rep. Jim Jordan, have been accused of selectively leaking or distorting Smith’s closed-door remarks while blocking the public release of the full video and transcript.
  • As Michael Popok remarked:

    "They did exactly what Jack Smith feared and his lawyers feared... They didn't release the video yet... until the public picks up pitchforks." (03:20)

• Jack Smith’s Stand:

  • Smith is actively demanding the release of the full videotape, seeking total transparency so the American people can judge his testimony for themselves.
  • Popok quotes Smith’s lawyers’ letter:

    “Mr. Smith respectfully requests the prompt public release of the full videotape... Doing so will ensure that the American people can hear the facts directly from Mr. Smith, not through secondhand accounts...” (10:48)

2. Smith’s Own Words: Context from Past Public Statements

• Historic Public Statement by Smith

  • Popok references—and plays—Smith’s earlier public address when the D.C. election interference indictment was unsealed:

    “The attack on our nation’s capital on January 6, 2021, was an unprecedented assault on the seat of American democracy. As described in the indictment, it was fueled by lies, lies by the defendant targeted at obstructing a bedrock function of the US Government...”
    —Jack Smith (Special Counsel, 05:44)

• Smith’s Philosophy on Prosecution:

  • The show includes Smith discussing prosecutorial process and political interference:

    “Process shouldn’t be a political issue. Right? Like, if there’s rules in the department about how to bring a case, follow those rules. You can’t say, ‘I want this outcome. Let me throw the rules out.’” (09:00)

  • Smith’s blunt conclusion on career prosecutors dealing with improper orders:

    “They’re not going to do them.” (09:40)

3. The GOP's Reaction & The Push for Transparency

• Jim Jordan’s Fox News Appearance:

  • Jordan dismisses Smith’s testimony as “all political,” indicating his mind was made up before even listening:

    “Jack Smith testified for seven hours, and none of that time did it change my belief... that this was all political.” (10:41)

• Popok’s Call for Accountability:

  • Decries the lack of transparency, contrasts GOP actions with longstanding practice, and calls for public pressure to force release of the video and full reports.
  • Blames the House majority, Judge Cannon (for sitting on Volume 2 of the Mar-a-Lago report), and the current administration’s lack of urgency.

4. What Happens Next: Strategy & Public Action

• Legislative Moves:

  • Expect Jamie Raskin (Ranking Democrat) to demand a full investigation and the release of all relevant material.
  • Suggests the possibility of “shadow hearings” in Congress, calling in whistleblowers and Department of Justice veterans.

• Volume 2 of Mar-a-Lago Report:

  • Critiques Judge Cannon’s delay tactics; urges the public to demand its release alongside the Smith video depo.

• Importance of Public Pressure:

  • Popok encourages listeners to engage, participate, and amplify the call for transparency:

    "One of the things that we do here together so well on Legal AF... we need public pressure, public scorn of the Trump administration." (13:45)

• Broader Themes:

  • The fight isn’t just about one video—it’s about upholding transparency and the principle that justice must be seen to be done.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Michael Popok, on suppressed testimony:

  “We demand the videotape... It's not just about Epstein files transparency. It's about all of it.” (10:05)

• Jack Smith, on January 6 and democracy:

  "...They did not just defend a building or the people sheltering in it. They put their lives on the line to defend who we are as a country and as a people." (06:37)

• Popok, on the importance of public pressure:

  "The bigger we are, the more muscular we are, the more we're defended and protected against attempts to crush our First Amendment speech..." (14:30)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [01:59] – Popok explains the background: Jack Smith’s nine-hour testimony and why GOP is keeping it hidden.
• [03:20] – Critique of GOP’s selective leaking and public gaslighting.
• [05:35] – Clip: Jack Smith’s previously public remarks on the DC indictment and January 6.
• [07:31] – Popok on White House/DOJ, Epstein files, and selective transparency.
• [08:39] – Clip: Smith and legal analysts discuss the prosecutorial process and political meddling.
• [10:41] – Clip: Jim Jordan on Fox News, admitting his bias.
• [10:48] – Popok reads from the Smith legal team’s urgent request to release the deposition video.
• [11:40-14:00] – Discussion on congressional paths forward, shadow hearings, Judge Cannon, and the role of the public.
• [13:45] – Rallying call for listeners to act.
• [14:30] – Remarks on the importance of audience support in defending free speech.

Final Thoughts

The episode is a robust, impassioned demand for government transparency and accountability at a politically fraught moment. It contextualizes Jack Smith’s suppressed testimony, the GOP's resistance, and the stakes for American democracy. The hosts urge listeners to stay vigilant, get involved, and use their voices to demand the release of crucial evidence in the Trump investigations. If you care about law, justice, or political transparency, this is an episode that crystallizes why these values matter.