Rep Jim Jordan (R-OH) was put out in a House Judiciary Committee hearing when Virgin Islands Delegate Stacey Plaskett pointed out, in conversation with a witness, that he has not made any effort to establish amicable dialogue with agencies he wants to oversee before immediately rushing to issue subpoenas.
Plaskett began with a debunking of the repeated false claim by Republicans, pursued by Jordan as chair of the committee, that the Justice Department deliberately launched terrorism investigations to intimidate parents criticizing their local school boards.
"This one-page DOJ memo that we've made much ado about says, in its first instance, that the First Amendment protected activity, should never be subject to prosecution, and issues of concern of illegal violence and threats of violence made to school board officials, most of whom are, surprise surprise, parents," said Plaskett. "I am also troubled — deeply troubled by all the events, as well as increasing violence and threats of violence against civil servants and federal law enforcement as we attempt to weaponize these individuals doing their job. In fact, we have seen the consequences of this rhetoric over and over again."
Plaskett questioned the witness, public communications strategist and CNN legal expert Elliot Williams, "Would you say, two weeks into the Congress, issuing subpoenas might be a bit premature for the investigation and cooperation between those branches of government?" To which Williams replied, "Certainly, Congresswoman ... I guess you get more flies with honey than vinegar."
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"I will point, out we tried the honey, hundred letters we sent from Congress," barked Jordan. "We tried the honey."
"The last Congress," Plaskett reminded him. "You are now in the majority. He should have tried that first as the chair of this committee, not as the ranking member."
Watch video below or at this link.
Jim Jordan reacts to Stacey Plaskett's criticism of his oversight work www.youtube.com
