U.S.SPECIAL REPORT

Ex-special counsel Jack Smith got data on 639K Republicans

Senate Judiciary Chairman Chuck Grassley called it an abuse of authority, and the New York Post says the data covered buyers of red MAGA hats; the legal process remains unclear.

On air: Chip Darnell and Hank Ledger on The Five O'Clock
Published 5:23 PM ET, Wednesday, October 14, 2026

▶ As it aired · U.S.

Watch it as it aired: Chip Darnell and Hank Ledger on this story, from The Five O'Clock at 5:23 PM ET. Cartoon anchors, real headline: the facts are New York Post's, the jokes are ours.

At a glance

First reported by New York Post: “Ex-special counsel Jack Smith obtained personal info on 639K Republicans— including red MAGA hat buyers”.
Covered on BBN on Wednesday, October 14, 2026, at 5:23 PM ET on The Five O'Clock, by Chip Darnell and Hank Ledger.
Topics: MAGA, Jack Smith, Republicans.
BBN covered this story before: Federal report says banks cut off MAGA seller, conservative groups (October 14).

The real story

The reporting behind this segment. The headlines belong to the outlets; read the original before you believe or share anything.

New York PostEx-special counsel Jack Smith obtained personal info on 639K Republicans— including red MAGA hat buyers

What BBN said about it

Chip Darnell · U.S. News AnchorThe New York Post reports that former special counsel Jack Smith obtained personal information on about six hundred thirty-nine thousand Republicans, including people who bought red MAGA hats.
Chip Darnell · U.S. News AnchorSenate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley denounced it as an abuse of authority by the prosecutor who once pursued President Trump.
Hank Ledger · Lead AnchorSix hundred thirty-nine thousand people. That is a stadium crowd times about eight, and most of them just wanted a hat.
Chip Darnell · U.S. News AnchorThe story is raising a major privacy fight, and the key question is what legal process was used to collect the information and who approved it.
Hank Ledger · Lead AnchorSo far the allegation comes from the Post and from Grassley, who chairs the committee making these claims.
Hank Ledger · Lead AnchorSmith has not answered in the material we have.

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