Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH) is moving forward with a number of "whistleblowers" as part of his House subcommittee investigating the supposed "weaponization" of government against former President Donald Trump and everyday Americans. But his committee got off to an awkward start following a report from Democrats on the committee that the first three FBI agents he was calling as witnesses were paid by Trump ally Kash Patel and promoted conspiracy theories about the January 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol.
Experts and reporters on social media were quick to criticize Jordan's blunder.
"Holy cow," wrote former Department of Defense special counsel Ryan Goodman. "Jim Jordan’s first 'whistleblower': Steve Friend, former FBI agent suspended “for objecting to using a SWAT team to arrest a subject for what Friend described as ‘misdemeanor offenses.’” Who were the arrestees that day? Three Percenters who attacked the Capitol."
Former federal prosecutor Joyce Vance tweeted, "Some of Jordan's whistleblowers, at least ones who qualify for that designation, may be the problem, not a solution."
"Who would've guessed that Jim Jordan's whistleblowers were actually Jan. 6 conspiracists with no firsthand knowledge to back up their FBI claims — and who were paid thousands of dollars by Kash Patel," wrote Justin Baragona, reporter for The Daily Beast.
And Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-CA), a former House Intelligence Committee official now running for Senate, had a simple reaction: "These House GOP 'whistleblowers' have as much credibility as Fox 'News.'"
Democrats in the House are above all now calling Jordan's bluff, demanding that he allow the "whistleblowers" to testify publicly where they can be put under proper scrutiny and answer questions before the American people.
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