Rep. Jim Jordan, Democrats Clash at Hearing Over FBI Whistleblowers

House Judiciary Committee Chairman Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH) and Democrats argued Thursday at a congressional hearing which three alleged FBI whistleblowers testified before.

The Details: Jordan quarreled with Ranking Member Del. Stacey Plaskett (D-USVI) and Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL) over the legitimacy of the witnesses as “whistleblowers”, and if Democrats should have access to their past testimonies.

For Context: The hearing was of the Select Subcommittee on the Weaponization of the Federal Government, which journalists Matt Taibbi and Michael Shellenberger testified before in March as Republican witnesses. Jordan, Plaskett, and Schultz also argued during that hearing. A day earlier, the committee reported that the FBI revoked security clearances for three agents who attended Jan. 6 riots at the Capitol or voicing alternate theories about the day’s events.

Key Quotes: “I told you that when it comes to whistleblowers you are not entitled [to prior testimonies]. It is at the discretion of Mr. Allen,” said Jordan. Schultz said, “They have been determined by the agency not to be whistleblowers.” “The law has not determined they are whistleblowers,” added Plaskett.

How The Media Covered It: CNN (Lean Left bias) and Newsweek (Center) framed more of their coverage around Democrats’ questioning of the legitimacy of the witnesses as “whistleblowers.” Fox News (Right) included several quotes from Plaskett and Schultz but did not dig into legitimacy beyond it. Fox highlighted the witnesses' reports of “politicized rot” within the FBI.