Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein and Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) got into a heated exchange during Rosenstein's testimony in front of the House Judiciary Committee after Jordan alleged that Rosenstein has stonewalled requests for documents and information from Congress about the Justice Department's actions in the Russia and Hillary Clinton email investigations.
The context: Shortly after the exchange, the House voted to approve Jordan's resolution rebuking the DOJ and FBI and demanding that DOJ “fully comply” with subpoenas and requests from the House Intelligence and Judiciary Committees.
The full exchange:
- Rosenstein: "Your statement that I'm personally keeping information from you — trying to conceal information from you is not true."
- Jordan: "You’re the boss, Mr. Rosenstein."
- Rosenstein: "That’s correct…and my job is to make sure that we respond to your concerns. We have, sir…my understanding is that it’s actually going very well, sir. So I appreciate your concerns."
- Jordan: "Again, I think the House of Representatives is going to say otherwise."
- Rosenstein: "But your use of this to attack me personally is deeply wrong."
- Jordan: "It’s not personal."
- Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-Texas): "Point of order, Mr. Chairman, may the witness be permitted—"
- House Judiciary Chair Bob Goodlatte (R-Va.): "The witness is going to have an opportunity to say whatever he wants at the end of Mr. Jordan’s five minutes."
- Jordan: "It’s not personal. Why did you tell Peter Strzok not to answer our questions yesterday? … He gave us the answer he gave us dozens of times, 'On the advice of FBI counsel, I can’t answer that question.'"
- Rosenstein: "Mr. Jordan, I appreciate your sincere concerns. I didn’t give Peter Strzok any instructions…"