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Representative Jim Jordan is going after the Federal Bureau of Investigation again, this time over the agency's role in Special Counsel Jack Smith's probe into former President Donald Trump.
On Thursday, the Ohio Republican penned a letter to Attorney General Merrick Garland expressing concern over the FBI's involvement in the Department of Justice's investigation into the confidential records found at Trump's Mar-a-Lago residence last August.
Citing the findings detailed in the Durham report, Jordan—one of Trump's staunchest allies on the Hill—argued that it was paramount for Garland to provide information on the number of FBI agents involved in the Trump probe, as well as the agents' locations and their professional history at the agency, particularly whether or not they had worked on matters related to the former president before.
On May 12, Special Counsel John Durham released his long-awaited report on the origins of Crossfire Hurricane—the FBI probe into Trump's alleged ties to Russia during the 2016 election—concluding that the bureau had no evidence of collusion at the time it launched the investigation.
In his letter, Jordan said the Durham report indicated that the FBI abused its authorities to "hamstring the campaign and presidency of President Trump" and thus, Congress needed to ensure that the DOJ's investigations are not "poisoned by this same politicization."
Writing to Garland, Jordan also asked that the DOJ explain whether the Mar-a-Lago investigation relies on any materials that were gathered by the FBI before Smith was tasked with leading the probe, and requested that the department arrange a briefing between Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco and committee members of Jordan's House Judiciary Committee.
When reached for comment, the FBI deferred to the DOJ and told Newsweek to refer to the agency's statements on the Durham report, which said the bureau had already implemented "corrective actions" to address the conduct analyzed in his report.
The DOJ declined Newsweek's request for comment.
Jordan, who chairs both the powerful Judiciary Committee and the Weaponization of the Federal Government Committee, has used his newfound influence in the House to target the FBI—a bureau that has recently lost public trust and been the subject of increased scrutiny.
A poll conducted by the McCourtney Institute for Democracy in November found that just half of Americans trust the FBI and skepticism is particularly high among independent voters, with a third saying they "hardly ever" trust the law enforcement agency.
Last month, Jordan's panel held a hearing involving two suspended FBI agents and one former agent, who accused their employer of retaliating against them for speaking out about the bureau. The hearing sparked tense debate among lawmakers, with Democrats questioning the "whistleblower" status of the witnesses and Republicans defending the decision not to share previous deposition transcripts with their counterparts.
About the writer
Katherine Fung is a Newsweek senior reporter based in New York City. She has covered U.S. politics and culture extensively. ... Read more