This week, the House is continuing to grapple with the persistent absence of a Speaker after the removal earlier this month of Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) from the position. After Rep. Steve Scalise (R-La.) was formally picked as the GOP choice for the votes on the floor on who will become Speaker but struggled to reach the majority support necessary to prevail, Republicans went instead with Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio).
Jordan currently leads the House Judiciary Committee, a role where he has helped push forward partisan investigative ploys by the GOP majority currently in the House. Notably, he’s pushed multiple prosecutors for insider information on investigations they’ve led that drew in former President Donald Trump, though Jordan hasn’t actually seen much success with getting a lot from those pushes, let alone significantly derailing prosecutors’ efforts. Rep. Bill Pascrell, Jr. (D-N.J.) focused in a Monday denunciation on Jordan’s part in what could be described as attempted subversion of the rule of law, whether when dealing with the 2020 presidential election’s outcome or amid the later investigation in Congress into January 6 and surrounding circumstances. Jordan infamously flouted a subpoena from that House panel — which Democrats have often referenced.
“I saw a reporter aghast that our Dem caucus leader called republican speaker favorite jim jordan an insurrectionist. When you vote to overturn the election, ignore subpoenas, and attack democracy daily what else is that?” Pascrell asked on X (Twitter).
Jordan has received support in his bid to become Speaker of the House from even former President Donald Trump himself, who a few had temporarily floated as himself ostensibly an option for becoming Speaker. Actual voting in the Speaker’s race looked likely to take place early this week. Democrats have long since thrown their unified support behind Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.), collectively getting significantly further in the process than Republicans.
I saw a reporter aghast that our Dem caucus leader called republican speaker favorite jim jordan an insurrectionist. When you vote to overturn the election, ignore subpoenas, and attack democracy daily what else is that?
— Bill Pascrell, Jr. 🇺🇸🇺🇦 (@BillPascrell) October 16, 2023
