American politics has become a contact sport, it seems. And few know it better than a top Congressional Republican named Jim Jordan. Now, in his book “Do What You Said You Would Do” the former college wrestling coach is talking about doing business in Washington while taking more than a few bullets for Donald Trump.
The following is a transcript of a report from "Full Measure with Sharyl Attkisson." Watch the video by clicking the link at the end of the page.
Rep. Jim Jordan: Like one of the stories I tell is the day Gaetz and Scalise and some of my colleagues as the press would say, stormed the bunker in the basement of the capital and how that all unfolded.
The so-called Republican storming of a closed hearing happened in October of 2019. Congressional Democrats led by Adam Schiff were set on impeaching President Trump a second time.
Jordan: And Adam Schiff was doing secret depositions and hearings on trying to impeach the president of the United States and the country couldn't see it. And members of Congress said, “This is ridiculous. Our constituents have a right to know what's going on.” At least let their representative be a part of that. And they came in and he gaveled it out, got all mad called me to his office.
Sharyl: Adam Schiff called you to his office? Did you have to go—and what did he say?
Jordan: No, he said he just wanted to talk to me. So, I grabbed Meadows who was in there. It was interesting because there was a few guys who probably. We probably were in more depositions than anyone else. Probably even more than Schiff. Mark Meadows, myself, Scott Perry and Lee Zeldin.
Sharyl: Listening to other people giving testimony?
Jordan: Yeah. And so he was upset that these other members wanted to be there and hear what was going on, gaveled to close to the deposition and the hearing, and asked me to come down to his office. I grabbed Meadows and Perry, we went down to his office and had a little discussion and he told me, he goes, “You got to tell ‘em to leave.” I go, “I got to tell ‘em to leave? You're the chairman. I'm kinda glad they're here.” And long story short, it was a little kind of interesting meeting, but they wound up staying and until we got called to the floor to actually vote on some other legislation. But it was one of those days that I think helped galvanize the party because the conventional wisdom was going into impeachment. That every Democrat would vote for it and Republicans would lose some members that would vote with the Democrats. And it wound up being just the opposite. Every Republican voted against impeaching president Trump, which was the right decision, right position. And then two Democrats voted with us and a third switch parties and voted with us. And I think that that moment really helped bring our team to together and show the American people how ridiculous this whole thing was.
Jordan was also a key defender of Trump in the face of a hostile and sometimes lawbreaking FBI. The Inspector General eventually recommended criminal charges against ex-FBI Director James Comey and Deputy Director Andrew McCabe. But the Department of Justice gave both a pass and didn’t bring charges.
More recently, an FBI lawyer was convicted of doctoring a document to get a wiretap and spy on a Trump associate. And thanks an ongoing investigation by U.S. Attorney John Durham, we now know more: The FBI’s top lawyer at the time reportedly conferred with a Clinton lawyer before the wiretap. The Clinton lawyer was linked to the “dossier” of secret information the FBI used to claim Trump and Putin Trump was a Russian spy. The dossier was actually Democratic HQ political opposition research paid for by Democrats.
Jordan: I think they knew. I think Jim Comey knew the dossier was garbage, but they needed a reason to do what they wanted to do, which was to go after President Trump.
Sharyl: If the tail is wagging the dog and the government is doing this, then who does ultimately hold them accountable? Because once again, we're back to the FBI and the Department of Justice, maybe some of the same people are still there or who know the people involved. Are they going to be held accountable? Are they are going to be left to do investigations about who's accountable?
Jordan: Well, ultimately Congress has got to do the oversight, but we can't, as you know, we can't prosecute anyone. And if we're fortunate enough to be back in the majority in January of ’23, which I think is darn good chance that happens, then we will do the oversight and we will have the hearings you need to have to get the information out there. But in the end for people to ultimately be held accountable and people to be prosecuted, it takes a Justice Department willing to do that. My guess is that's not going to happen until President Trump runs in 24 is elected president. So we're talking in sometime in 2025.
Sharyl: You think he runs in 2024?
Jordan: I’d bet my house on it. I mean, he hasn't said anything officially. But I want him to run. I mean, you think about title of our book, “Do what you said you would do.” No president has done more what they said they would do than President Trump. I mean, I've used to do this list during the - he said he would cut taxes. He did. He said he'd reduce regulation. He did. Said he'd build the wall. He did. Said he get out of Iran deal. He did. Said he put the embassy in Jerusalem. He did. He said he put conservative on the court. He did, Gorsuch, Kavanaugh. Coney Barrett. I mean on and on we can go. And he did all that with everyone in this town against him, every Democrat, everyone in the mainstream press, everyone in the bureaucracy.
Sharyl: Some Republicans.
Jordan: And I was just getting ready to add, some Republicans.
Sharyl: What is it like to have been targeted because you were in that orbit?
Jordan: I don't wish it on anyone, but unfortunately, it's just a fact of life now. So I mean, it's not pleasant, but if you believe in this great country, you're going to have to fight for the things that make the country special in the first place. You're going to get attacked. You just are. They're going to call you names, call your racists and try to cancel you. But it's worth it nonetheless.
Sharyl (on-camera): Most recently, Jordan is under attack for announcing he will not cooperate with the Democrat-led investigation into the January 6, 2021 Capitol riots. Democrats accuse him of being evasive.
Watch Full Measure segment here
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