Rep Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), the ranking GOP member on the House Oversight Committee, turned down a proposal from the lawyer for the former Democrat operative and anti-Trump whistleblower to answer written questions submitted by his office to the committee.
Related: Rand Paul Rigorously Defends Donald Trump at Rally
Jordan (shown above right) and Republican House leadership have even gone so far as to consider moving Jordan over to the House Intelligence Committee — where he could engage and cross-examine Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) on his dealings with the so-called whistleblower.
Jordan told Fox News’ “Fox and Friends” on Tuesday morning that the informer “needs to come in.”
“You want to be able to look this individual in the eye, ask them questions and see how they respond in the moment,” he also said.
And see the video in this tweet as well:
— Rep. Jim Jordan (@Jim_Jordan) November 5, 2019
Jordan cautioned that the move may not happen, however, because “it’s still a sham [impeachment] process. Adam Schiff is still in control. He gets to decide the witnesses … We have to provide a witness list, but Adam Schiff gets to decide if they get to come [in] or not.”
Related: Kevin McCarthy on ‘Sham Impeachment’: ‘Why Do You Not Trust the People?’
Congressman Jordan also said during his Tuesday morning “Fox and Friends” interview that GOP House leadership could move him over to the House Intelligence Committee so that he could put Schiff himself under oath to probe his relationship with the informer and former Democrat operative.
“That’s [House Minority] Leader [Kevin] McCarthy’s call,” said Jordan, referencing the potential committee change. “If he and ranking member [Rep. Devin] Nunes [of California] want that to happen — I just want to help our team.”
Conservatives surely would welcome the move.
See this tweet, for example, from Charlie Kirk of Turning Point USA:
BOOM:
House Republicans are considering moving Jim Jordan to the House Intelligence Committee tasked with impeachment
This is the Democrats' worst nightmare
RT if you want to see @Jim_Jordan take down Adam Schiff's fake whistleblower!
— Charlie Kirk (@charliekirk11) November 4, 2019
Even some Dems appear to respect the gambit.
See this tweet:
Republicans considering moving @Jim_Jordan to House Intel Committee as impeachment inquiry enters the public hearing phase … very smart move if they do this … Democrats take note. GOP going with their starters, we need to match-up! https://t.co/zUXTogcBYo
— Kurt Bardella (@kurtbardella) November 5, 2019
The question comes down to Schiff’s shielding his star witness from any serious scrutiny — and thus denying President Donald Trump due process.
Schiff would also be forbidding the American people to have a look at a Democrat operative whose claims are being used to try to impeach a sitting, duly elected president.
Many think Trump is guilty of nothing more than talking to a fellow head of state about corrupt practices — and how to stop them.
The informer and Schiff differ with the president on that — but they refuse to air their charges in the light of day.
But since corrupt practices seem to emanate from the family dealings of a former Democratic vice president and putative frontrunner for 2020 — well, then, the story must be shape-shifted into one of current presidential corruption to distract from the actual truth of the matter, it appears.
However, Schiff wasn’t so reticent of clarity at first.
When the informer’s claims initially became public, Schiff advocated for an open and public hearing.
But when it was revealed that the informer had contact with Schiff’s office prior to his charges — and that the leaker had formally worked for at least one Democratic presidential candidate — then Schiff changed his tune.
He has stonewalled ever since in regard to any serious questioning of the informer by the media or by the House GOP.
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