On Saturday, Kirschner tweeted a video of himself explaining his forecast about what he’s derisively dubbed the “Republican clown show.” He cited a Politico article that revealed certain GOP representatives are pushing for a subcommittee that would investigate what they call the federal government’s “weaponization.”
In addition to reviewing ongoing criminal probes, the proposal would allow the panel broad access to “information shared with the House Intelligence Committee.” Kirschner appeared floored by the proposal.
“This is an eye-popping power grab,” he said in the video. “This is Jim Jordan and whoever else ends up on this committee trying to seize the power to poke their noses under the tent of ongoing criminal investigations at the Department of Justice—investigations of crimes like the insurrection, witness tampering, conspiracy, classified documents crimes.”
Politico reported Saturday that the provisions seem to have been tacked on at the end of California Representative Kevin McCarthy’s prolonged battle for House speaker, which he won after negotiations with a group of ultraconservative detractors.
Kirschner speculated in his video that some of the GOP hardliners pushing for the provision regarding DOJ investigations may have been Florida Representative Matt Gaetz or Georgia Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene.
He joked that such Congress members are part of the “pardon posse” since “they all apparently realize that they committed crimes in connection with the insurrection,” adding that they may have sought pardons from former President Donald Trump for the alleged misdeeds.
He continued: “Now, we don’t know if Trump gave any of those characters pardons or not. We may learn in the future. But it sure would be helpful, wouldn’t it, to folks in Congress who are perhaps being criminally investigated by the Department of Justice to just be able to poke their nose under the tent? See what’s going on?”
Newsweek reported last month that former U.S. attorney Barb McQuade said it’s “quite likely” that McCarthy and Jordan are under investigation by the DOJ over their alleged role in the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot.
In addition, the proposed GOP select panel would be housed below the Judiciary Committee, which Jordan is expected to chair, according to Politico. It means that Jordan would be the person who would authorize panel-issued subpoenas.
Kirschner on Saturday addressed Jordan directly. He sarcastically told the conservative lawmaker to “try to grab all the power you think you can get” and to issue the DOJ “all kinds of subpoenas” to unearth who may be indicted or under investigation.
“Because those are subpoenas with which the Department of Justice will not comply, in my opinion,” Kirschner continued. “Rather, if they get those kind of absurd subpoenas, I predict DOJ will go to court, they will litigate the issue, they will win—and federal judges will smackdown Jim Jordan and his cohorts. Because justice matters.”
Newsweek reached out to Jordan’s office for comment.
