An executive order signed by President Donald Trump on Tuesday suspended the security clearances of law firm Covington & Burling LLP’s members, partners, and employees who assisted Jack Smith in his work as special counsel for two indictments of Trump.

The clearances are suspended “pending a review and determination of their roles and responsibilities, if any, in the weaponization of the judicial process," so they may not be permanent.

The order also directed a review of government contracts held by the firm.

Accountability for weaponization of justice system

During the signing ceremony, the order was cast as an attempt to hold those who participated in the "weaponization" of the justice system against Trump accountable for doing so.

Plans for similar orders targeting other law firms and personnel who participated in cases against Trump were said to be in the works for future orders.

Smith went far beyond any duty to investigate Trump and seemed to have a vendetta against him.

After a Supreme Court immunity ruling gutted his cases against Trump, Smith filed a briefing to make his opinion clear that he believed Trump was guilty of all the charges against him.

The brief, which was made public by the judge in the case, was highly detailed and smacked of personal animus. It was filed just weeks before the 2024 presidential election.

At the time, Trump called the brief "election interference" and a "hit job" and made it clear that it was yet more weaponizing of the justice system.

Passing the buck

Smith, of course, claimed it was Judge Tanya Chutkan's decision to unseal the brief, not his.

"Jack Smith has been pushing to get this case tried for two years. It is Trump who has sought delay after delay, and he has succeeded in preventing the trial in going forward before the election. Now he is complaining that the litigation is still ongoing," former federal prosecutor Peter Zeidenberg told Newsweek in Smith's defense.

Still, Smith had to know that if Trump was elected, he would face these kinds of actions.

He gambled, and he lost.