Ex-CIA director's closed-door hearing fruitful for Biden probe: Jim Jordan
House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan sounds off on John Brennan's testimony on 'Jesse Watters Primetime.'
House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, told Fox News the testimony his panel heard in private from Obama-era CIA Director John Brennan "confirmed" the letter signed by 51 current and former intel officials was not on-the-level.
"[Brennan] sat for a four-hour interview and he further confirmed that this thing was all political," Jordan said on "Jesse Watters Primetime."
Jordan recounted his allegation that then-Biden campaign adviser Antony Blinken was the "impetus" behind the letter, which he said was organized in-part by former CIA Deputy Director Michael Morell, who testified before the Judiciary Committee earlier in May.
He also took issue with reaction from a member of his committee, Rep. Daniel Goldman, D-N.Y.
Former CIA Director John Brennan (l) testifies in an unrelated hearing, as ex-DNI Jim Clapper looks on. (REUTERS/Gary Cameron )
Goldman told the press following the hearing that what people saw from Brennan is "exactly what we hope for in our public servants."
Goldman, who previously served as lead impeachment counsel during the first investigatory iteration against then-President Trump, claimed such hearings are an "infringement on the First Amendment that this investigation is going on — [Brennan] was a private citizen when he wrote this letter."
Jordan said Goldman seemingly ignored how the officials who signed the letter saying the laptop appeared to have earmarks of a "Russian information operation" did so with their government titles listed below their names.
Jim Jordan holds a hearing at the Jacob K. Javits Federal Building in New York City. (Luiz C. Ribeiro for NY Daily News via Getty Images)
"Mr. Goldman talked about public servants," Jordan said. "We expect public servants not to use their title to influence an election."
Jordan reiterated his assertion that those involved in the letter wanted to give then-candidate Biden a "talking point" for his NBC debate against Trump.
When Trump brought up the laptop report, Biden cited the letter, which led the incumbent to remark how the public apparently must now be led to believe the laptop is "another ‘Russia, Russia, Russia’ [hoax]."
Jordan further wondered aloud why Biden or Democrats believed they needed a "talking point" if Hunter's laptop was empirically a hoax or inauthentic.
"And he presented it as if it was all organic — just shazam! It just happened out of the goodness of all these individuals' hearts. They wanted to do this as if there was no political motivation whatsoever, and we know that was not accurate."
Jordan concluded by revealing the panel plans to invite another top signatory — Obama-era Director of National Intelligence James Clapper — in for questioning next week.
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