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

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.