Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH) still can’t get his story straight about whether and when he spoke to former President Trump on Jan. 6.
During a House Rules Committee hearing on Wednesday to debate holding Steve Bannon in criminal contempt of Congress, panel chair Rep. Jim McGovern (D-MA) asked Jordan whether he spoke to Trump during, before, or after the Capitol insurrection.
“I talked to the President after the attack,” Jordan replied, adding, with exasperation: “I’ve been clear about that.”
McGovern followed up, noting that Jordan had told Politico earlier that he spoke to Trump during the insurrection.
“During?” Jordan said. “No, I did not speak to the President during the attack.”
Rep. Jordan has been asked this exact question several times since Jan. 6. And each time, it’s as if a reporter ambushed him, jumping out of the bushes to thrust a surprise question at the unsuspecting congressman.
Politico Playbook quoted Jordan in August as saying that he spoke to Trump more than once on Jan. 6, including a call during the attack with Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL).
“Look, I definitely spoke to the President that day,” Jordan told Politico. “I don’t recall — I know it was more than once, I just don’t recall the times.”
On Wednesday, Jordan told McGovern that he talks to Trump “all the time.”
“I talked to him that day,” the Freedom Caucus member added. “My understanding is from my memory, I talked to him after the attack happened and we were removed from the chamber. I had nothing to do with any of this.”
Jordan gave a similarly flailing response after a Fox News host asked him about it in July.
“I’ve talked to the former president umpteen times — thousands, countless times,” Jordan told Brett Baier in July.
Baier then said, “But I mean on January 6, congressman.”
“Yes,” Jordan replied. “I mean — I’ve talked to the President so many — I can’t remember all the days I’ve talked to him, but I’ve certainly talked to the President.”
