Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) appeared to suggest on Sunday that he will not voluntarily cooperate with the Jan. 6 select committee investigating the U.S. Capitol breach, calling the request “unprecedented and inappropriate.”
The nine-member committee investigating the origins of the breach, which is almost entirely comprised of Democrats, has subpoenaed a number of people as part of its investigation, including former President Donald Trump national security adviser Mike Flynn, his former adviser Stephen Bannon, and his former White House chief of staff, Mark Meadows.
In a letter to committee Chairman Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.) dated Jan. 9, Jordan cited several reasons as to why he feels that he does not need to cooperate with the panel’s request, including that he has “no relevant information” that would assist them in their investigation or in “advancing any legitimate legislative purpose.”
However, Jordan stopped short of stating that he would not cooperate with the committee.
“The American people are tired of Democrats’ nonstop investigations and partisan witch hunts,” Jordan began his letter. “Your letter of December 22, 2021, unfortunately, continues this Democrat obsession. It amounts to an unprecedented and inappropriate demand to examine the basis for a colleague’s decision on a particular matter pending before the House of Representatives.”
“This request is far outside the bounds of any legitimate inquiry, violates core Constitutional principles, and would serve to further erode legislative norms,” Jordan continued.
The Ohio Republican then went on to cite a number of reasons as to why he feels he does not need to cooperate with the investigation, which has so far appeared to focus on individuals who previously served in the Trump administration, including those who were no longer in the White House during the Jan. 6 breach.
Jordan wrote that he “cannot speak to Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s failure” to ensure the Capitol building had adequate security in advance of the breach and that he has nothing to add to the “bipartisan, comprehensive findings of the Senate investigative committees or to those issued by federal inspectors general.”
The congressman said he was performing “official duties” as a lawmaker at the time the Capitol building was breached.
Jordan also noted that even if he had information to share with the House committee, “the actions and statements of Democrats in the House of Representatives show that you are not conducting a fair-minded and objective inquiry.”
Thompson sent a letter to Jordan in December making a formal request on behalf of the committee for Jordan to testify (pdf).
“We write to seek your voluntary cooperation in advancing our investigation,” the letter began. “We understand that you had at least one and possibly multiple communications with President Trump on January 6th. We would like to discuss each such communication with you in detail.”
The letter also goes on to assert that “despite the urgent requests that the President speak and instruct the rioters to leave, President Trump did not make such a statement for multiple hours as rioters attacked police and invaded and occupied the Capitol.”
Lawmakers have accused the former president of encouraging violence at the Jan. 6 breach of the U.S. Capitol, a claim Trump vehemently denies.
His last Facebook post called for “everyone at the U.S. Capitol to remain peaceful” and non-violent and to respect law and order. The former president has also repeatedly insisted that he offered to bring in the National Guard ahead of the Jan. 6 demonstration, but that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) denied the request.
The Epoch Times has contacted Thompson for comment.
Jordan is the second congressman to be asked to cooperate with the partisan House committee’s investigation into the events, after Rep. Scott Perry (R-Pa.), who said in December said that he does not intend to accept the committee’s requests, calling the committee “illegitimate.”
Earlier this month, MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell sued the House select committee in an effort to stop telecommunications company Verizon from sharing his information with the panel.
It came after the committee issued Verizon a subpoena for all of his records of communication on a cellphone he regularly used for the period between Nov. 1, 2020 and Jan. 31, 2021.
The committee is yet to find substantial evidence that high-ranking GOP officials participated in or had any prior knowledge of the events of Jan. 6.