Non-voting member Del. Stacey Plaskett (ID-VT) argued that the Republicans on the committee are sending letters trying to interfere in ongoing Justice Department investigations of the former president. The latest efforts came from Jordan, demanding that Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg appear before the committee to answer questions. Bragg doesn't serve under the jurisdiction of Congress. He's also prevented from giving congress "inside" information because grand jury investigations are secret.
"That is not appropriate," Plaskett said. "That is not what this Congress is supposed to be about. That is an abuse of the power of this body, of this committee, and that is the weaponization of Congress, plain and simple."
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Rep. Linda Sanchez (D-CA) explained that all of this is ignored by Jordan when it's addressed.
"They are trying to use the legislative branch to interfere in the judicial branch in an ongoing investigation, which we have a separation of branches of government for a reason," Sanchez explained. She called it "projection" on the part of the Republicans, who are serving as Trump's "cronies" and carry his water to save him from any accountability.
It's information that she said "should" scare the American public.
Rep. Dan Goldman (D-NY) also spoke out in the Jordan subcommittee on Thursday. John Sauer, Special Assistant Attorney General, Louisiana Department of Justice, began their testimonial by imagining a world in which the FBI sends a list of books that have to be pulled from library shelves.
"Luckily, we don't have to imagine that, sir," said Goldman. "Are you aware recent laws in Florida resulted in the mass removal of books that are now banned in public schools?"
Sauer said he didn't know about Florida.
"I know that we have sworn testimony from an FBI agent Elvis Chan that backs up the analogy," he said.
"Well, you should go look into it because Florida right now is banning books, and you would agree that's a violation of the First Amendment," Goldman said as Rep. James Comer tried to shut him down. "Could the witness answer the question?"
"No, you are over your time and because you addressed the chair, I will tell you, stay tuned. There is much more to come in this committee," said Comer.
Wallace asked the point of the panel if Republicans don't even have confidence enough in their witnesses to answer questions from Democrats. Sanchez agreed, calling it "it's embarrassing, and the hypocrisy is thick in that committee."
"You have to suspend reality to even go along with a straight face with the people on this committee," Wallace said. "I mean, it is like the Rogue's gallery of apologists and defenders of the 'Big Lie' that led to the deadly insurrection, that led to 140 officers being wounded, some with the trauma they will deal with forever, some physical wounds that ended their careers in law enforcement. Where did the audacity not just to do this, but do this in such a subpar performative way come from?"
Punchbowl's Jake Sherman explained that the subcommittee has been given as much money as the Jan. 6 committee and that the Jordan efforts are all part of the deal Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) made to become Speaker.
There is a real peril here, Nicole," Sherman continued. "Politically for Republicans, polls that the leadership seats, and I know they see it because I talk to them about it, shows that these investigations are broadly unpopular. Most investigations are not popular. People see inflation high, you know, food costing too much, all of those things, and they say, why is Congress going on and on about this, that or the other thing? Why aren't they doing anything to help me. So, that is the danger in carrying out these investigations for too long of a time, too long of a period."
Wallace pointed out that it's why she was leading with the incompetence of the committee in her reporting.
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"You said Jim Jordan is the most powerful Republican in the body," she said. "Kevin McCarthy wouldn't be speaker if not for Jim Jordan. He has also voted to, other than never wearing a jacket, investigate Donald Trump in ways that aren't rooted in any facts. So, the fact that this, you know, I'll call it bad faith, you can call it whatever you want, jihad, that he got a mountain of money — you described a money truck being backed up and poured onto this effort. The fact that it is so shabby, the fact that the witnesses are so subpar, the fact that the nine Democrats to the 12 Republicans are so scary to Jim Jordan that they are not allowed to ask any questions — that feels like a bigger part of the story that maybe if you are staring at the trees, the forest isn't as obvious. Why does he suck at this?"
See the panel discussion below or at the link here.
'This seems like the real story': Nicolle Wallace
www.youtube.com
