The relentless quest for truth has found a worthy champion in Special Counsel Jack Smith, the man tasked with unraveling Donald Trump’s sprawling effort to overturn the 2020 election. The latest revelations, detailed in a wide-ranging legal brief, paint a damning portrait of Trump’s behavior and Rudy Giuliani’s role in spreading knowingly false claims of election fraud.

As Jack Smith’s investigation continues, the once-respected Rudy Giuliani finds himself inextricably linked to Trump’s scheme—becoming the face of a failed and dishonest campaign that shook the very core of American democracy. Giuliani’s willingness to lie for Trump, according to Smith, speaks volumes about the desperation of Trump’s inner circle and the lengths they were willing to go to stay in power.

Trump’s Gamble with Giuliani

Following the 2020 election, Donald Trump found himself at a crossroads. His legal team, backed by reality and evidence, told him the odds of winning were slim. Faced with the harsh truth, Trump took a different path. On November 13, 2020, he fired his attorneys and brought in Giuliani, the one man willing to spread baseless claims of election fraud. It was Giuliani who Trump believed could falsely claim victory—and Smith’s investigation alleges that Trump knew full well these claims were groundless.

In a bombshell filing, Smith alleges that Trump and his allies “invented statistics out of whole cloth.” Giuliani, once hailed for his leadership during 9/11, became the frontman for a campaign fueled by falsehoods, making and remaking fraudulent claims about voter fraud in Arizona and other swing states. At one point, Trump and his team changed their fraudulent numbers from 36,000 noncitizens casting ballots in Arizona to hundreds of thousands, only to revise the figure once again. The numbers may have been fabricated, but Giuliani’s commitment to the lie was unwavering. 

Giuliani’s Downward Spiral

Once at the height of his career, Rudy Giuliani’s fall from grace has been nothing short of tragic. His daughter, Caroline Giuliani, has openly lamented how her father’s association with Trump has irreparably damaged his life and career. "Trump took my dad from me," she has said, highlighting the personal toll that comes with standing by the former president. And while Giuliani might have believed his loyalty to Trump would secure his legacy, he’s been left to shoulder the blame for the lies Trump concocted.

Giuliani’s willingness to push Trump’s false election claims has now landed him in legal hot water, with Jack Smith’s team outlining how deeply Giuliani was embedded in Trump’s fraudulent scheme. In fact, Smith’s filing shows that Trump, ever the businessman, promised to pay Giuliani only if they won the post-election cases. And yet, Trump still owes Giuliani $2 million—a debt that symbolizes not only broken financial promises but the larger moral bankruptcy of the entire operation.

Jack Smith’s Evidence: A Case for Accountability

Jack Smith’s meticulous investigation has gathered evidence that goes beyond Giuliani’s role, focusing on Trump’s state of mind in the weeks leading up to January 6, 2021. Prosecutors have unearthed conversations and forensic phone records that reveal Trump’s obsession with staying in power, even if it meant promoting lies that undermined American democracy. Trump’s infamous tweet, posted during the Capitol riot while he sat alone in the White House dining room, condemned Vice President Mike Pence for his “lack of courage.” This tweet, prosecutors allege, was part of Trump’s broader strategy to incite his supporters.

Smith’s brief also highlights that Trump knew the election fraud claims were baseless. Yet, Trump pressed forward, telling his family, including his daughter Ivanka, that “It doesn’t matter if you won or lost the election. You still have to fight like hell.” For Trump, winning wasn’t about the truth—it was about power, at any cost.

The depth of Smith’s case extends beyond mere conjecture. Prosecutors are prepared to introduce evidence at trial that will show how Trump and his allies, including Steve Bannon, concocted plans to create chaos. Bannon’s infamous comment on January 5, 2021—“all hell is going to break loose”—was no mere coincidence. It was the culmination of Trump’s conspiracy to hold onto power, regardless of the cost to the nation.

Critical Consequences for Democracy

At the heart of this investigation lies the question of accountability. Trump and his legal team have dismissed Smith’s case as a “witch hunt,” claiming it’s politically motivated. Yet, Jack Smith’s pursuit of justice is far from a political attack. It is a necessary reckoning for a country that cannot afford to let lies and fraud go unchallenged. As we head into the 2024 election, the implications of Smith’s case resonate even more deeply.

If Trump is allowed to escape responsibility for his actions, what does that say about the strength of our democracy? Giuliani’s tragic fall serves as a cautionary tale for those who compromise their integrity in the service of power. But the stakes are bigger than any one man. Jack Smith’s investigation stands as a testament to the importance of truth, accountability, and the protection of democratic institutions. 

The Road Ahead

As the legal battle unfolds, one thing remains clear: Jack Smith’s determination to hold Trump and Giuliani accountable is about more than just the past. It’s about preserving the future of American democracy. In a world where lies have become currency, Smith’s work reminds us of the importance of truth and the consequences of allowing falsehoods to reign unchecked.

Trump may have hired Giuliani to lie for him, but in the end, the truth always prevails. And as Caroline Giuliani poignantly observed, “Trump destroys everything he touches.” For the sake of America’s future, we can’t let him destroy the country, too.

EDITORS NOTE: This article originally appeared in Forbes, By Alison Durkee and has been adapted for Houston Style Magazine