House Republican Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan came under fire by a former top U.S. Dept. of Justice official after rushing to defend Donald Trump from his latest indictment.
Since Monday night when the Fulton County, Georgia grand jury handed up a sprawling 98-page speaking indictment against the ex-president and 18 of his supporters, some Republicans have been pointing to small, selected portions of the document and claiming that District Attorney Fani Willis is suggesting the acts listed are all illegal.
Jordan on Tuesday posted one such claim.
“Mark Meadows asked for a phone number,” he began, adding that former Trump attorney Jenna Ellis “gave legal advice. But somehow the Fulton County DA thinks this is a vast criminal conspiracy? Totally ridiculous.”
“Maybe the DA should focus on the REAL crime, murders, and corruption happening in her county every day!” Jordan insisted.
Attorney Michael Bromwich is a former U.S. Dept. of Justice Inspector General who lead several notable probes into the FBI’s investigations, and lead former FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe’s legal team.
Thursday afternoon he slammed Jordan’s remarks.
“It’s truly scandalous that the Chair of the House Judiciary Committee doesn’t understand the basics of conspiracy law,” Bromwich said. “Overt acts in furtherance of a conspiracy don’t themselves have to be crimes.”
Bromwich was not the first to criticize Jordan’s remarks.
“Oh hi @Jim_Jordan, wanted to let you know that driving is illegal; if you are the getaway driver for a bank robbery,” snarked U.S. Rep. Ted Lieu (D-CA), a former JAG attorney.
“Lighting a match is illegal; if you do it to set fire to a church,” Congressman Lieu continued. “Buying fertilizer is illegal; if you plan to give it to a terrorist to make a bomb. Get it?”
Referring to the domestic terrorist known as the “Unabomber,” Vanity Fair’s Molly Jong-Fast responded to Jordan’s comment by saying, “This is like saying ted kaczynski was jailed for using the United States postal service.”
Appearing to point to widespread accusations that Congressman Jordan ignored or disregarded numerous reports of sexual misconduct or sexual assault when he was an assistant wrestling coach at Ohio State, historian Kevin Kruse said: “Jim Jordan can’t see the crimes? Huh, that’s new.”