Washington, D.C. — Jay Bratt, a former prosecutor with special counsel, is set to testify before the Republican-led House Judiciary Committee next week as members seek to investigate claims of political bias in federal criminal cases involving Donald Trump. The deposition is scheduled for 10 a.m. ET on Wednesday, according to sources familiar with the arrangements.

Bratt played a key role in the criminal inquiry concerning Trump’s alleged mishandling of classified documents while serving as a senior deputy under former special counsel Jack Smith. This deposition marks the first time a special counsel prosecutor has been summoned before Congress since Trump took office, a period characterized by the president’s expressed animosity towards various Justice Department officials.

Details surrounding the duration of the deposition and Bratt’s intentions regarding any potential claims of privilege remain uncertain. A spokesperson for the Judiciary Committee did not provide immediate comments about the upcoming session.

In recent years, Smith has brought charges against Trump in two significant cases: one in Florida related to the alleged mishandling of classified materials at his Mar-a-Lago estate, and another in Washington concerning efforts to overturn the 2020 election results. The case connected to the classified documents was dismissed prior to trial by U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon, who ruled that Smith was improperly appointed to his role.

House investigators are particularly interested in Bratt’s insights, as the Judiciary Committee, led by Republican Chairman Jim Jordan, has long suggested that the special counsel’s probes are rooted in political motivations within the Justice Department. The committee has previously sent correspondence to Smith seeking information about interactions between the Biden administration and the Justice Department regarding ongoing criminal investigations.

These inquiries have included requests for documents related to a meeting where Bratt is believed to have advocated for an FBI search warrant of Mar-a-Lago. This warrant ultimately resulted in serious charges against Trump, including violations of the Espionage Act, following the retrieval of 101 classified documents from the premises—despite claims from Trump’s legal team that they had complied with prior subpoenas.

Additionally, the Judiciary Committee has focused on a contentious meeting that occurred between Bratt and Trump’s former attorney, Stanley Woodward, at the Justice Department in November 2022. Woodward has raised complaints regarding this encounter in a federal filing, alleging that Bratt suggested his own aspirations for a judgeship could be favorably influenced if he got his client, Walt Nauta, to cooperate with prosecutors.

While the implications of this meeting remain unclear, it signals the intense scrutiny surrounding the Justice Department’s handling of the classified documents case. Concerns about possible misconduct have been referred to the Justice Department’s Office of Professional Responsibility, although no apparent actions have been taken in this regard.

As the Judiciary Committee examines the complexities surrounding the Trump investigations, Bratt’s upcoming testimony could provide significant insights into the decisions and motivations of those involved. The outcomes of this inquiry may affect not only the current political landscape but also future interactions between the executive branch and federal law enforcement.