Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH), predictably, doesn’t think President Trump’s tweets bashing ousted Ukraine ambassador Marie Yovanovitch in the midst of her public hearing are a big deal.
According to CNN Friday, Jordan blamed Trump’s attacks against Yovanovitch on his frustration with Democrats. Earlier Friday, Trump lashed out in his tweets targeting the ousted Ukraine ambassador, saying “everywhere Marie Yovanovitch went turned bad” and that it is a President’s “absolute right” to appoint ambassadors. The President’s tweets were swiftly met with a wave of backlash.
Jordan thought the American people could relate to Trump’s indignation.
“Look, the President has been frustrated with this relentless attack on him by the Democrats that started even before he was President. I think the American people can relate to the frustration,” Jordan said, according to CNN. “Democrats started in July 2016 with their crazy investigation and now they move into this, so I think that’s what drives that.”
Jordan also argued that Trump did not commit witness tampering with his tweets. Notably, Fox News anchors Bret Baier and Chris Wallace argued that Trump may have done just that with his attacks.
“The witness is testifying. She wouldn’t even know about the quote if Mr. Schiff hadn’t read the tweet,” Jordan said, according to CNN.
Last week, House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) temporarily assigned Jordan to the House Intelligence Committee as the impeachment inquiry was about to enter its public phase. A few days earlier, Jordan dismissed EU ambassador Gordon Sondland’s revised testimony, which confirmed Trump’s quid pro quo, as “Sondland’s opinion” but argued that the testimony of Ukraine envoy Kurt Volker, in which he denied being aware of any quid pro quo, is a “definitive account.”
