Nancy Pelosi Urged to Veto Jim Jordan From January 6 Committee

The prospect of Representative Jim Jordan being among the lawmakers taking part in the probe into the January 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol has spurred anger among many, who point to his support of former President Donald Trump.

The Ohio Republican is reportedly among five GOP representatives picked by House minority leader Kevin McCarthy to serve on the special committee that from next week will start examining the events of the insurrection.

McCarthy was able to name committee members in consultation with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, meaning she could could veto his selections.

Jordan defended Trump during both his impeachment proceedings, the second of which was based on the charge that the former president incited the Capitol riot. Jordan was also among the 139 House Republicans who voted to overturn the election results.

Jeff Sites, who is campaigning against Jordan in Ohio's fourth congressional district, said Pelosi should veto Jordan, as well as other GOP picks for the committee, Jim Banks (R-IN) and Troy Nehls (R-TX), who also backed overturning the results of November 3, The Hill reported.

"No election objector can be allowed to obstruct this investigation. Join us in telling Speaker Pelosi to say no," Sites tweeted.

He linked to a petition calling for Jordan's veto, which as of Tuesday morning had more than 5,000 signatures. "The traitors who spread the Big Lie aren't giving up. They're pushing seditionists....for the committee to turn it into a circus," the petition said.

"Please join us in telling Speaker Pelosi not to let it happen."

Democratic activist Scott Dworkin tweeted his support for the petition, writing: "Want Jim Jordan to lose? Support @Sites4Congress." In another tweet, he wrote: "Who else agrees Speaker Pelosi should not let Jim Jordan join the Jan 6 Cmte?"

Bruno Amato, the actor turned congressional candidate, tweeted: "Kevin McCarthy is trying to put fellow traitor Jim Jordan on the #January6thCommission."

The executive editor of Occupy Democrats, Grant Stern, tweeted: "I hope @SpeakerPelosi uses her powers to tell Jim Jordan to sit this one out. Under the text of the Host Resolution establishing the #January6thInsurrection Investigation Select Committee she has no obligation to appoint him."

Meanwhile Mike Murphy, co-director of the USC Center for the Political Future, tweeted: "Putting the likes of Rep Jim Jordan on the House Jan 6 Committee is not the act of a patriot. Kevin McCarthy should be deeply ashamed, if he could even remember what shame is."

Others took aim at the legal significance of his naming. "For the same reason that a lawyer is not typically permitted to serve as counsel in a case they're likely to be a witness in," chair of The Democrats Lawyers Council, Andrew Weinstein tweeted. "Jim Jordan should not be permitted to serve as a member of the House Select Committee on the January 6 Attack."

However, analysis from The Palmer Report suggested that Jordan was picked by House Republicans because "they know he's a non-starter and Pelosi will have to veto him.

"They're hoping it'll allow their other four picks to survive, who are all no names, but who are also unsuitable," it said.

Jordan told Newsmax that he accepted the offer to serve on the committee because: "We know what this is, his is impeachment round three," he said. "I'm going to focus on the truth, I'm going to focus on the facts."

The other GOP lawmakers picked by McCarthy are Reps Rodney Davis (Ill.) and Kelly Armstrong (N.D.).

Earlier this month, Pelosi (D-CA) revealed her eight appointees to the committee, which will hold its first hearing on July 27. Capitol Police and D.C. Metropolitan Police officers who defended the Capitol during the assault will testify.

Pelosi's appointees included seven Democrats and the Republican Rep. Liz Cheney (R-WY), whose criticism of Trump following the Capitol attack has left her ostracized within her own party.

Newsweek has contacted the offices of Jordan, Pelosi and McCarthy for comment.