An ethical crisis is developing in the House of Representatives, and Republican leadership has been slow to react. This week alone we had two different committee chairs potentially mislead the American people. Comer claimed his Schrodinger’s informant was both missing and not, while Jordan blocked Democrats from accessing all the evidence available pertaining to his Trump ally-funded Weaponization witnesses. This is before we get to Clay Higgins being filmed accosting someone. The representative from Louisiana weaponized himself – the government – and forcefully removed an activist who was simply asking questions to silence him. Lastly, and most shockingly, Rep. Paul Gosar has kept a Neo-Nazi on his taxpayer-funded payroll. He has so far refused to comment on the situation, and so has Speaker McCarthy. While Republicans piece themselves together after this week, Americans are forced to witness the People’s House turn into an unethical, dangerous mess.
The Week Started When James Comer Lost His Informant, It Was All Downhill From There Ending In The Assault Of A Civilian And Ties To Nazis
The Hill: “Bipartisan group calls for investigation into Comer’s remarks about missing whistleblower”
- The Hill: Facts First USA Sent A Letter To U.S. Attorney Matthew Graves Asking Him To Look Into Rep. James Comer’s Claims About Losing His Own Informant, And Whether He’s Telling The Truth About Having One. “The organization, Facts First USA, sent a letter to U.S. Attorney Matthew Graves asking him to investigate Comer, who the group says is likely lying about having an informant related to the GOP investigation into the Biden family. The group said that if he is lying, he could be in violation of federal law.” [The Hill, 5/16/23]
The Washington Post: “Rep. James Comer is looking for anti-Biden evidence. Also, his informant.”
The Independent: “House Oversight Chairman James Comer claims to have lost his informant in Biden probe”
The Daily Beast: “GOP Oversight Chair Says He’s Lost Track of His Biden Corruption Informant”
Salon: “James Comer’s big ‘informant’ against Joe Biden goes ‘missing’ — but MAGA won’t care”
Salon: “James Comer mocked after claiming informant his ‘entire charade was built on’ is ‘missing’”
Huffington Post: “Joe Scarborough Gleefully Mocks James Comer For Losing Informant In Biden Probe”
Huffington Post: “James Comer Links ‘Missing’ Biden Informant To ‘Spy Business’ In Wild Claim”
MSNBC: “GOP’s Comer ‘can’t track down’ his own anti-Biden ‘informant’”
Rolling Stone: “Jim Jordan on GOP ‘Whistleblowers’ Getting Paid by Ex-Trump Adviser: ¯\_(ツ)_/¯”
- Rolling Stone: Jim Jordan’s Witnesses Fell Short Of The Expectations He Set And Were Backed Financially By President Trump Ally And Advisor, Kash Patel. “REP. JIM JORDAN (R-Ohio) claims he has testimony from ‘dozens’ of whistleblowers who’ve provided him with proof that the FBI is unfairly persecuting conservatives. This doesn’t actually seem to be the case. The first three of these witnesses whose testimony Jordan received were not really ‘whistleblowers,’ but disaffected former FBI employees receiving financial backing from former President Trump’s ally and advisor Kash Patel. None of them have been given whistleblower protection status by the Department of Justice.” [Rolling Stone, 5/18/23]
Daily Beast: “Jim Jordan Freaks Out When Dem Confronts Him With House Rules”
Independent: “Jim Jordan Blocks Democrats From Seeing Evidence In Chaotic ‘Weaponisation Of Government’ Hearing”
Huffington Post: “Rep. Jim Jordan Gets Brutal Reminder Of His Past After Tweet About Whistleblowers”
The New Republic: “Republican Congressman Shoves Activist Trying to Ask Questions”
- Louisiana Republican Clay Higgins Forcefully Removed A Man Asking Questions To Other GOP Members, The Man Was Heard Saying, “Get Off Me!” “Louisiana Republican Representative Clay Higgins manhandled a protester on Wednesday, after the activist asked other GOP members questions about their personal lives. In a video that has gone viral, Higgins can be seen grabbing a protester and shoving him away from a press conference, repeatedly saying, “You’re out, you’re out.” At one point, Higgins uses so much force that he lifts the young man off the ground. The protester continues to say, “Get off me!’” [New Republic, 5/18/23]
Newsweek: “GOP Rep. Clay Higgins Faces Calls for Arrest After Dispute With Activist”
The Hill: “Louisiana Congressman Manhandles Activist During Press Conference: ‘You’re Out’”
NBC News: “Louisiana Republican Defends Physically Removing Activist From News Conference”
Salon: “Looks like an assault”: MAGA Republican manhandles protester at press conference”
Talking Points Memo: “EXCLUSIVE: Capitol Hill Staffer Is A Prominent Follower Of Neo-Nazi Nick Fuentes”
Talking Points Memo: “Paul Gosar Has No Comment On His Staff’s Ties To Nick Fuentes”
- Paul Gosar Refused To Answer Questions Regarding His Hiring Of An Extreme Right-Wing Online Persona As A Staffer, “No Comment.” “TPM’s Emine Yücel caught up with Rep. Paul Gosar (R-AZ) as he was leaving the House floor Wednesday to get his response to the TPM report on the substantial evidence tying certain extreme right-wing online personas to members of his own staff. ‘You have to contact my communications,’ Gosar said. Reminded that TPM had reached out to him and his press team multiple times, Gosar said: ‘No comment.’” [Talking Points Memo, 5/17/23]
Talking Points Memo: “Republican Jewish Coalition Blasts Gosar Over Staffer’s Ties To White Supremacist: Fuentes Has ‘No Place’ In Congress”
AZ Central Op-Ed: “Report: Rep. Paul Gosar staffer is a devotee of neo-Nazi white nationalist”
New Republic: “Paul Gosar’s Staffer Is a Neo-Nazi”
Independent: “Paul Gosar Faces Calls For Investigations After Allegedly Hiring Nick Fuentes-Linked Congressional Staff”
The Hill: “Jewish Democrats Call On McCarthy To Censure Gosar Over Staffer’s Reported Beliefs”
Haaretz: “Jewish Groups Slam Rep. Gosar After Staffers Revealed as Followers of White Supremacist Fuentes”’
Forward: “A Congressman Reportedly Employs ‘Neo-Nazis.’ Jewish House Members Want Him Censured”