There are a lot of Republicans that pushed former President Donald Trump’s Big Lie. Still, one stands out more than the others: Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH). The Just Security website revealed a startling timeline of the Ohio Republican’s efforts to cast doubt on the integrity of the 2020 U.S. presidential election in November.
“He also led efforts to create an image in the minds of Trump supporters of Jan. 6 as the “ultimate date of significance” (his words, repeated several times),” the report states. “He helped spearhead the effort to oppose certification of the election in Congress. He has continued to promote the “Big Lie” even after the events on Jan. 6 and subsequent FBI and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) warnings that this conspiracy is propelling domestic violent extremists.”
Just Security offered 15 points, showing that Jordan’s conduct arguably sets the Ohio Republican “apart from every other Republican member of Congress who supported the Big Lie, voted to object to the certification of the election, or engaged in other related activities.”
For their first point, on Aug. 22.2020, Jordan suggested Democrats will try to steal the election, and from there, the rhetoric didn’t end. On Nov. 5, 2020, after the presidential election, Jordan alleged that the election was stolen. On Nov. 15, 2020, Jordan wasn’t finished. He endorsed Rudy Giuliani and Sidney Powell’s call to investigate Dominion and Smartmatic. Three days later, on Nov. 18, 2020, Jordan called for immediate congressional investigations of alleged election fraud. Then, on Dec. 7, 2020, Jordan endorsed state legislators in picking their own electors.
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On Dec. 7, 2020, Jordan said that Donald Trump should not concede the race. To this day, the former president has not conceded the race he lost over nine months ago. On Dec. 13, 2020, Jordan started a public call to object to certification on Jan. 6. On Dec. 10 of last year, Jordan supported a call for “special counsel” to investigate alleged election fraud.
Jordan called Jan. 6 the “ultimate date of significance” on Dec. 16, 2020. Then, on Dec. 21, 2020, Jordan met with then-President Trump and a small group of House Republicans to coordinate plans to object to certification on January 6.
The report states that Jordan “raised Trump supporters’ expectations by saying he hoped a majority of Congress will object on January 6 (Jan. 5, 2021),” and he helped lead the effort to vote against certification on January 6 (starting Dec. 13, 2020).”
On Jan. 6, the day of the deadly insurrection at 3:02 PM, Jordan called for Trump supporters to remain peaceful, but he did not say to disperse and go home. In addition, Jordan “made false claims about Speaker Pelosi and security preparations for January 6 (starting Feb. 15, 2021).” Finally, on July 28, 2021, Jordan revealed for the first time that he spoke with President Trump on Jan. 6.
He was rewarded for his efforts.
On or before Jan. 4, President Donald Trump reportedly decided to award Rep. Jordan the Medal of Freedom. On Jan. 11, Jordan received his Medal of Freedom at the White House in a ceremony with no media present.
Jordan was rejected from joining the committee formed to investigate the cause of the Jan. 6 Capitol riot, and he sure as hell did not belong on the Jan. 6 committee. Jordan was complicit.
You can read the full report here.
Featured image via Gage Skidmore/Flickr, under Creative Commons license 2.0
