Ex-prosecutor warns Trump's 'child-like retribution' could cost Jack Smith six figures

The repercussions reverberating around Washington following the closing of President-elect Donald Trump’s election subversion case could come back to bite Jack Smith where it hurts – his wallet.

That’s according to former U.S. attorney and CNN senior legal analyst Elie Honig, who said Monday that just a mere probe being launched against an individual can have devastating consequences on a target’s life.

“Even an investigation, I mean, there are safeguards that would hopefully prevent some sort of ridiculous indictment, but even an investigation can turn someone's life upside down,” Honig told anchor Kaitlan Collins on her show, “The Source.” “It's extraordinarily expensive – you get a subpoena, that's six figures to defend.”

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Collins pointed out to Honig that the Trump team’s retort will likely be to say, "'That's what you did to us right?'”

“Yeah, it's childlike retribution,” Honig replied. “I mean if Trump was wronged, there is, you know, an examination to be done of that. And I have no problem with the inspector general – DOJ’s internal watchdog – doing a dive and saying, ‘Jack Smith stepped over the line here, here and here.’”

Honig added that the inspector general released a “scathing” report into James Comey and could do the same for Smith if an investigation is warranted.

“But if you're talking about opening criminal investigations, a whole different story,” he added.

He noted that Trump’s Justice Department under his next administration is "going to look very different than the first Trump Justice Department."

Watch the clip below or at this link.