Democratic Congressman Jerry Nadler used the words of prominent figures in the MAGA movement against GOP House Judiciary Chair Jim Jordan, weeks after Republicans voted to advance contempt of Congress proceedings against Attorney General Merrick Garland.
"[Republicans] want even more money and resources wasted on chasing conspiracy theories in defense of Donald Trump," Nadler said during his remarks.
The Attorney General's Tuesday appearence is part of an annual oversight hearing but comes in the wake of what Garland characterized as "unprecedented" attacks on the Department of Justice. House Republicans made the decision to advance contempt proceedings after Garland refused to turn over audio tapes of President Joe Biden's interview with special counsel Robert Hur. The special counsel investigated whether Biden mishandled classified documents - ultimately deciding to not bring charges against the president.
Nadler, the judiciary's committtee's ranking member, suggested that the House GOP's hearings were intended to aid former President Donald Trump's election campaign, rather than serve as an acutal investigation into any alleged misconduct. The New York representative played clips of prominent figures in the MAGA movement, including Steve Bannon, Kash Patel and Natalie Winters.
"Jim Jordan, it's not enough to out out a little tweet, [saying] 'I'm demanding this.' No. Where are the subpoenas? Where is the vote," Steve Bannon said in a video clip shared during the hearing. "That's what the American people want. What they're tired of is the gutless, feckless whining of the Republican establishment."
Nadler also cited Republican House members, including Andy Biggs of Arizona and Chip Roy of Texas, who complained that the House GOP was not giving its members anything to campaign on, before describing the committee as "little more than a field office" for the Republican Party's campaigns.
"I take great comfort in knowing that nothing my Republican colleagues say about you here will change the thoughtfulness and decency that mark your leadership of the department," Nadler told Garland. "I urge you not to take this process too personally. The desperation has nothing to do with your record as Attorney General."
