Katy Chevigny, the wife of newly appointed special counsel Jack Smith, is under scrutiny due to her political affiliations, which raise questions about Smith’s impartiality.
Chevigny has a distinguished career in the film industry, having produced a documentary about former First Lady Michelle Obama titled “Becoming,” as well as a political thriller called “Dark Money” that explores the impact of the Citizens United decision on fair elections. Both projects were undertaken with Big Mouth Productions, where she is employed as a director and producer.
Chevigny is also known for her political contributions, with Federal Election Commission records revealing that she donated $2,000 to President Biden’s 2020 campaign, as well as multiple donations to ActBlue, a Democratic fundraising platform, and MoveOn.org’s political action committee.
These affiliations are now under scrutiny due to Attorney General Merrick Garland’s recent appointment of her husband as the special counsel overseeing the case against former president Donald Trump. Smith has been tasked with continuing the Justice Department’s investigations into former President Donald Trump’s efforts to overturn the 2020 election results and his handling of classified documents after his presidency.
This appointment was seen as an effort by Garland to ensure impartiality in the investigations, especially as Trump has announced his candidacy for 2024. However, Chevigny’s political ties are now being used to question Smith’s neutrality. Criticisms have been voiced by several prominent Republican figures, including Rep. Andrew Clyde (R-GA) and Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL), who have expressed their concerns over perceived bias in the investigation.
The controversy surrounding Smith and Chevigny is not an isolated incident. Public figures have often faced backlash due to their spouses’ political activism. For instance, Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas’ wife, Virginia Thomas, was criticized for urging lawmakers to overturn the 2020 election results. This led to calls for Justice Thomas’ recusal or resignation from certain cases.
