Trump tried to broker House leadership deal, promote loyalist Jim Jordan, report says
Report: Trump butted into House leadership fight
Author: William Cummings, USA TODAY
Published: 7:36 AM EST November 14, 2018
Updated: 9:43 AM EST November 14, 2018
WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump tried to broker a deal to settle House Republicans' leadership struggle that could result in one of his most loyal defenders becoming the ranking member on the Judiciary Committee, Politico reports.
With the support of his party's right flank, Ohio Rep. Jim Jordan – a co-founder of the conservative House Freedom Caucus – has campaigned to become Republicans' next leader in the House, challenging Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy. The California congressman's hopes to be the next speaker ended with Republicans' midterm losses, but McCarthy is favored to become the new minority leader after lawmakers vote Wednesday afternoon.
Trump reached out to McCarthy and encouraged him to strike a deal with Jordan, according to Politico. The specifics of the negotiations remain unclear, but the news site said lawmakers speculated that he would want Jordan to become the top Republican on the House Judiciary Committee, which is expected to open several investigations into the Trump administration when the Democrats take control.
"I think we’re entering a world we haven’t really seen," Jordan told reporters on Tuesday, listing the incoming Democratic chairmen who are poised to investigate Trump. "It’s going to take an attitude and an intensity about standing up for the truth and fighting."
"Jim Jordan will be the ranking member of the Judiciary Committee," former Trump campaign manager Cory Lewandowski told MSNBC’s "Hardball" host Chris Matthews on Tuesday.
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