Jim Jordan Shoots Down Trump’s ‘Fake Transcripts’ Claim

WASHINGTON, DC - OCTOBER 30: Representative Jim Jordan (R-OH) makes a statement outside of the Sensitive Compartmented Information Facility (SCIF) about the continued House impeach inquiry of President Trump on October 30, 2019 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Samuel Corum/Getty Images)
WASHINGTON, DC - OCTOBER 30: U.S. Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH) speaks to the media outside of the Sensitive Compartmented Information Facility (SCIF) at the U.S. Capitol on October 30, 2019 in Washington, DC. State Departm... WASHINGTON, DC - OCTOBER 30: U.S. Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH) speaks to the media outside of the Sensitive Compartmented Information Facility (SCIF) at the U.S. Capitol on October 30, 2019 in Washington, DC. State Department special adviser for Ukraine Catherine Croft and State Department official Christopher Anderson are expected to appear for closed-door depositions as part of the impeachment inquiry and the latest in a line of career diplomats who have complied with a House subpoena. (Photo by Samuel Corum/Getty Images) MORE LESS
Start your day with TPM.
Sign up for the Morning Memo newsletter

Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH) isn’t exactly willing to endorse President Trump’s claim that House Democrats could release altered transcripts from their impeachment depositions.

According to CNN Monday, while reiterating his argument that he wants all transcripts of the impeachment inquiry released, Jordan said that the transcripts that House Intel Chair Adam Schiff (D-CA) would release would be real — contradicting Trump’s Sunday tweet that if Schiff releases the transcripts “he will change the words.”

However, Jordan told CNN that he agrees with Trump’s claim that written testimony from the whistleblower wouldn’t suffice. Jordan argued that because the whistleblower complaint led to the impeachment inquiry, the public should hear from the whistleblower themselves.

Jordan added that he cares more about what would be redacted from the transcripts rather than whether the whistleblower’s account had been corroborated.

“Part of determining someone’s motivation, credibility, potential bias is being able to see them, look them in the eye, see how they react to me asking them questions,” Jordan told CNN.

Jordan’s latest remarks come just hours after Trump demanded Monday morning that the whistleblower be brought forward to testify. On Sunday, Trump prodded White House reporters to release information on the whistleblower and threatened to release information on key impeachment witness Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman, who he baselessly accuses of being a “Never Trumper.”

Earlier Monday, CNN and Politico reported that all four White House officials who are scheduled to appear before House investigators Monday will be no-shows.

Latest News

Notable Replies

  1. Doesn’t “Gentleman Gym” have the decency to wear a suit coat??

  2. Hmmm. Are we seeing Jordan distance himself from Trump just a wee bit?

    ETA, the whistle blower is old news. We have Trump’s own words and a bunch of witnesses who’ve verified what happened on the phone call.

  3. Avatar for jrw jrw says:

    see how they react to me asking them questions

    Unrestrained laughter is the reaction that comes to mind.

  4. Jordan told CNN that he agrees with Trump’s claim that written testimony from the whistleblower wouldn’t suffice…

    "Part of determining someone’s motivation, credibility, potential bias is being able to see them, look them in the eye, see how they react to me asking them questions…”

    …said no Republican ever of Trump giving only written testimony in Mueller’s criminal investigation.

  5. I’ll bet you anything that if the whistleblower appeared in front of Jordan wearing a mask and voice electronically distorted, it still wouldn’t be enough for him.

Continue the discussion at forums.talkingpointsmemo.com

137 more replies

Participants

Avatar for mattinpa Avatar for bobatkinson Avatar for pyanfar Avatar for cervantes Avatar for kilgoretrout Avatar for economides Avatar for steviedee111 Avatar for becca656 Avatar for cvilledem Avatar for arrendis Avatar for tacoma Avatar for daveyjones64 Avatar for borisjimbo Avatar for darcy Avatar for leftcoaster Avatar for benthere Avatar for thunderclapnewman Avatar for castor_troy Avatar for coimmigrant Avatar for katscherger Avatar for maracel Avatar for timorwig Avatar for mtw Avatar for carpe_diem

Continue Discussion
Masthead Masthead
Founder & Editor-in-Chief:
Executive Editor:
Managing Editor:
Associate Editor:
Editor at Large:
General Counsel:
Publisher:
Head of Product:
Director of Technology:
Associate Publisher:
Front End Developer:
Senior Designer: