Rep. Jim Jordan, the Ohio Republican who voluntarily sold conspiracies and lies as one of President Donald Trump’s staunchest supporters in Congress, is being rewarded for his loyalty on Monday with the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
The award, the United States’ highest civilian tribute, is awarded at the discretion of the commander-in-chief in recognition of “particularly meritorious contributions to the security or national interests of the United States, to world peace or to the cultural or other public. significant public or private ventures. ”Previous recipients include Rosa Parks, Mother Teresa and Walt Disney.
Trump’s decision to grant the prestigious honor to Jordan – a hyperpartisan who worked to undermine the impeachment process in 2019 and then revolved around spreading lies about the 2020 election, only to express shock when these lies helped to incite a deadly Capitol insurrection – the outgoing president’s pattern continues to reward his allies with medals or pardons during his last weeks in office.
Since losing the election to Joe Biden (and although he refuses to concede defeat), Trump has also awarded the Medal of Freedom to Rep. Devin Nunes, another loyal member of Congress, while granting presidential pardons to his associates who had been convicted of crimes , including Paul Manafort, Roger Stone, Jared Kushner’s father, former representatives Duncan Hunter and Chris Collins and George Papadopoulos, among others. It is speculated that before leaving office he may issue preventive pardons to his children, lawyer Rudy Giuliani, and perhaps even to himself.
In a statement, the White House highlighted Jordan’s work investigating the IRS and the Benghazi attack in 2012, as well as his efforts to “unmask Russia’s hoax and address Deep State corruption”.
“He is an inspiration to freedom-loving Americans everywhere and has stood out as one of the most important members of Congress of his generation, “said the White House statement.
Although he has represented his district in northwest Ohio since 2007, Jordan achieved national prominence during Trump’s term in the White House, thanks to his seemingly endless willingness to defend any and all behavior from the president. This reputation caused Republicans to temporarily transfer him to the Intelligence Committee during the House’s impeachment investigation, so that he could act as an attack dog on behalf of the president. Often showing up without a jacket and with his sleeves rolled up, Jordan served as Trump’s chief defender during the impeachment process, during which he asked combative and combative questions to witnesses. His star return drew him further into the Trump circle.
In the aftermath of the 2020 election, Jordan has also repeated the president’s lies about ballot integrity and voting observers in Pennsylvania. He was one of 126 House Republicans who unsuccessfully appealed to the Supreme Court to allow Texas to try to invalidate Biden’s victories in several undecided states.
After the coup attempt, Jordan turned to defend Trump against a second likely impeachment calling by unit.
Jordan also faced doubts about whether he knew of allegations of sexual assault against an Ohio State University doctor while working as a wrestling coach there in the 1980s and 1990s. More than 100 former students alleged Richard’s sexual misconduct Strauss, who killed himself in 2005. A 2019 report found no evidence that Jordan knew of the abuse, but six ex-fighters told CNN last year that the lawmaker was aware of the complaints, but did nothing to stop him . Jordan denied the charges.