Republican congressman Jim Jordan has admitted he spoke with Donald Trump on January 6 but refused to reveal what they discussed - after House Speaker Nancy Pelosi blocked him from joining a special committee to investigate the Capitol riots.
Fox News host Bret Baier asked Jordan, the 57-year-old Trump loyalist, on Tuesday if he had spoken with the then-president on the day of the deadly Capitol insurrection.
Jordan deflected, saying: 'I've talked to the former president umpteen times, thousands. I mean, not thousands–'
Baier jumped in asking for clarity, saying: 'I mean on January 6.'
'I talked to the president. I never talk about what we talk about. I just don't think that's appropriate, just like I don't talk about what happens in Republican conferences,' Jordan responded.
He continued: 'So I talked to the president numerous times. I continue to talk to the president.'
Baier once again asked for a straight-forward answer from the Ohio politician, saying: 'No, no. I mean on January 6, congressman.'
'Yes. I mean I've talked the president so many – I can't remember all the days I have talked to him, but I have certainly talked to the president,' Jordan replied.
Republican congressman Jim Jordan has admitted he spoke with Donald Trump on January 6 but will not reveal what was discussed
Baier took his answer as confirmation and continued, asking Jordan: 'And on that day, can you share any of the insight of what he was thinking about that day?'
Jordan evaded his question and instead shifted focus to 'the people we need to come testify.'
'Bret, the people we need to come testify are the people who can testify to the fundamental questions,' Jordan said.
'Why didn't the United States Capitol – the people's house – have an appropriate security posture on that day and what have we done? Those are the people we need to hear from.'
He added: 'That's the information and testimony we need to get. That's what we should focus on.'
Jordan's comments added to those from fellow Republicans trying to push blame away from Trump for the violent riots onto Democratic lawmakers - suggesting they had not adequately planned for such violence.
'Why was the Capitol so ill-prepared for that day, when [Democrats] knew on Dec. 14 that they had a problem?' House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy has previously said - as noted by The New York Times.
He added: 'Pelosi has created a sham process.'
Jordan's comments added to those from fellow Republicans trying to push blame away from Trump for the violent riots onto Democratic lawmakers
In his Fox News appearance on Tuesday, Jordan also claimed that Pelosi kept him off the committee in retaliation for comments he had made about her
McCarthy had appointed Jordan to the committee, as well as Indiana Rep. Jim Banks - who was also blocked from joining by Pelosi.
The top Democratic lawmaker said in a statement to The New York Times that she had Banks and Jordan from the committee because of comments they had made undermining the
