Department of Justice & Jack Smith

J.P. Cooney, the former Principal Deputy to Special Counsel Jack Smith who helped lead federal criminal prosecutions of President Donald Trump for obstruction of justice and conspiracy, has announced a Democratic run for Congress in Virginia’s 7th District. In a Wednesday post on X, Cooney claimed he was fired by Trump’s Department of Justice 'because of my work to prosecute him' and said he will not let Trump or anyone else stop him from serving. Smith, in comments to the New York Times cited by Fox, praised Cooney as 'a man of integrity' and 'the model of who our country needs in public service.' Cooney is effectively running for a seat that does not yet exist in final form: Democrats in Richmond have advanced a mid‑decade redistricting plan that would significantly redraw VA‑7, but it faces legal challenges and must clear a statewide referendum before taking effect. His candidacy crystallizes a new front in 2026 politics where former Trump prosecutors are stepping directly into electoral fights over presidential power, DOJ independence and how aggressively Congress should check a second Trump term.