May 21, 2024
By Jack Birle
House Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan (R-OH) and Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-NY) are demanding answers about a delay into an investigation of a judge’s comments about former President Donald Trump.
The two sent a letter to the Office of the Circuit Executive of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit on Monday, seeking information about the status of the complaint filed by Stefanik regarding Judge Beryl Howell of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.
Stefanik alleged in her original complaint in December 2023 that Howell made a “highly inappropriate political speech” during the Women’s White Collar Defense Association’s gala the previous month. She specifically pointed to Howell allegedly pushing partisan statements and commenting on proceedings involving Trump that were pending before the court.
Trump was indicted in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia for charges related to his alleged attempts to overturn the 2020 election in a case prosecuted by special counsel Jack Smith.
In the joint letter sent to the circuit executive, the pair of Republicans said that “the status of Representative Stefanik’s complaint and its contents remain unaddressed — notwithstanding Representative Stefanik’s having filed her complaint three times and via different methods.” They also claimed the executive at one point said her complaint had been incorrectly filed.
The two requested several specific pieces of information from the Office of the Circuit Executive, including the status of Stefanik’s complaint, any problems with the complaint and if they were corrected, and any actions taken by the office to investigate the allegations against Howell, among other items.
Jordan and Stefanik have requested that a briefing be scheduled with the Office of the Circuit Executive no later than 5 p.m. on June 3.
