U.S. Rep. Jordan says he spoke to Trump after Jan. 6 attack

U.S. Rep. Jim Jordan said Wednesday that he spoke to former President Donald Trump after the Jan. 6 protests at the Capitol — not during — as he blasted Democrats for continuing to probe the attack.

Jordan spoke to lawmakers on the House Rules Committee as they considered a report to hold former Trump adviser Steve Bannon in contempt after he defied a congressional subpoena from the House select committee investigating Jan. 6. The report will move to the full House for consideration, although the Justice Department will have the final say on whether to prosecute Bannon.

Jordan, a Republican representing Ohio’s 4th Congressional District, is a top Trump ally and has found himself at the center of the committee’s investigation. Wyoming Rep. Liz Cheney has said he could be a “material witness” for the events leading up to Jan. 6 and efforts to block certification of the presidential election.

Cheney is one of two Republicans serving on the committee. House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy recommended Jordan to join the panel, but Speaker Nancy Pelosi blocked his appointment.

During Wednesday’s meeting, Massachusetts Rep. Jim McGovern asked Jordan to clarify when he called Trump on Jan. 6. Jordan previously told Spectrum News 1 that he talked to the former president but couldn’t remember when, and Politico reported that they spoke twice that day.

Jordan said Wednesday he “did not speak to the president during the attack.” He also denied speaking with Trump about what McGovern called a “coordinated effort” to overturn the election results.