We don't even know the final outcome of the last few House races yet, but Republican House members are already battling to be Donald Trump’s bestest and most loyal investigation-saboteur. Leadership of Congress will shift from Republicans to Democrats, next January, due to the absolute routing Republicans got in this month's elections, and that change is widely expected to result in Democrats investigating all the crookedness and corruption that Republicans couldn't be bothered with, these last two years.
The Russia investigation, investigations into cabinet corruption, investigations into the apparent criminal acts the New York Times discovered after prying loose a bare handful of Trump's prior tax documents, investigations into foreign government payments to Trump's private businesses: Republicans have blocked each. Now the same Republicans who blocked those investigations the last two years are seeking top committee slots to continue that effort, and as usual Rep. Jim Jordan is quite certain he deserves the most top spot around.
[Jordan] on Friday began flirting openly with a bid to serve as the top Republican on the House Judiciary Committee, the panel where a flood of Democratic-led investigations, and potential impeachment, will begin.
You have to admit, Jordan's sales pitch is simple. When you've done a crime that needs covering up, you'd be stupid not to rely on Rep. Jim Jordan. Rep. Jim Jordan will cover up anything. Did a family member get caught colluding with Russian agents? Rep. Jim Jordan didn't see a thing. Is the team doctor for your collegiate wrestling program widely known by athletes for his sexual assaults? Jim Jordan not only didn't see a thing, Jim Jordan will forget every single instance of anyone telling him about it!
It's not quite as foolproof as simply finding all the witnesses to your crime and burying them in cement, but by God he will do his best.
Jordan is not next in line for the Judiciary slot, but according to Politico Donald Trump has already called Republican leader Rep. Kevin McCarthy to boost Jordan's chances of gaining that or another top spot. Trump knows who he likes, and Trump likes anyone willing to potentially sabotage their own career in order to best protect Donald Trump. It's unclear if Trump's promotion will be enough to offset Jordan's main problem: As a top "Freedom Caucus" member, Jordan has been a real jackass to his party's leadership these last few years and that leadership doesn't have to give him a damn thing, if they decide it's time for a little payback.
But there doesn't seem to be any question that whoever the Republicans pick for that slot, the party is still obsessively dedicated to ensuring that none of the investigations that they should have been launching in the last two years moves more than an inch forward, now that Democrats are in charge. It doesn't matter what Trump did; what matters is what they can do for Trump.