Rep. Crawford gives Intelligence seat to Rep. Jim Jordan for impeachment inquiry

U.S. Rep. Rick Crawford, R-Jonesboro, said he is “voluntarily” giving up his seat on the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence (HPSCI) to Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, in preparation for next week’s impeachment hearings. Crawford characterized the substitution as a “temporary resignation.”

The House is preparing for open hearings from witnesses as part of the impeachment inquiry formally opened last week in a partisan vote of 232-196. House Democrats have put forward a plan and guidelines for the process of the Congressional inquiry.

At the heart of the controversy, President Trump has been accused of withholding military aid to Ukraine in exchange for the newly elected president of that country, Volodymyr Zelensky, opening a public investigation into a company that former Vice-president Joe Biden’s son, Hunter, served on. A call summary of their July 25th conversation included the president saying he needed a favor from Zelensky.

Trump has also been accused of making a visit to the White House contingent on Zelensky making public statements about investigating Biden, a leading contender for the Democratic Presidential nomination in 2020, as well as alleged Ukranian election tampering in the 2016 U.S. Presidential election.

Crawford, who voted against the impeachment inquiry of President Donald Trump along with Arkansas’ three other Congressmen, has served on the House Intelligence Committee since 2017.

“Leader McCarthy and Ranking Member Nunes will ensure the American people hear the full truth while Jim Jordan will add critical bandwidth and legal expertise to the House Intelligence Committee during these upcoming public hearings. I look forward to rejoining my colleagues on HPSCI when this impeachment hoax has concluded and we return to the important work and oversight of the Intelligence Community that the committee is intended for.”

Jordan has been a visible and vocal supporter of President Trump.