‘That’s Bananas!’ Tensions Bubble Over in Wray Hearing When Jordan and Swalwell Go At It Over Hunter’s Laptop

After asking FBI Director Christopher Wray about the risk his officers face on a daily basis during Wednesday’s House Judiciary Committee hearing, Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-CA) turned his questioning to committee chairman Rep. Jim Jordan (R-CA), causing a brief but fiery exchange.

Swalwell began his line of questioning to Wray by bringing up Jordan’s failure to comply with a congressional subpoena, but when he turned to Wray, he asked about the consequences of FBI agents and officers being doxxed, in addition to agents who have been killed. Once he was done with Wray, he went off on Jordan’s list of grievances to point out GOP hypocrisy on privacy:

Swalwell: Chairman, I’ve counted in this hearing, and we’re only about an hour and a half in, the use of the word “laptop” about 20 times. In fact, in the chairman’s opening statement, he said that he’s upset that he believes the FBI prevented more Americans from learning about a private citizen’s laptop. That is bananas to me. You all are bringing up FISA every single question. You’re essentially saying to the American people that you’re guardians of personal security and privacy, but the 2020 election was determined because the FBI didn’t let more Americans see a private citizen’s nonconsensual nudes? Is that what we’re saying here? That you lost the election not because of your ideas but because a private citizen’s laptop wasn’t out there? That’s bananas! You should be a party of ideas, not a party of nonconsensual nudes to help you win an election. It seems like that is what the objection is here today. We should be talking about the mass shootings that occurred over the last ten days instead. This hearing has turned into absolute chaos.

With that, Swalwell yielded after several interruptions asking him to do so by Jordan. Then it descended into the rules of order and whose time Jordan was taking:

Jordan: The gentleman’s time has expired. We bring up FISA because it’s up for reauthorization, if the gentleman didn’t know, at the end of this year. And it was in our witness’s opening statement. I didn’t bring up the laptop–

Swalwell: Whose time are you speaking to, Chairman?

Jordan: The judge last week, on July 4th–

Swalwell: Whose time? Point of order, whose time are you speaking on?

Jordan: I’m speaking on… That’s not a point of order and I recognize the gentleman from Arizona.

Before it looked like he was taking someone else’s time, Jordan called on Rep. Andy Biggs (R-AZ).

Watch the exchange via C-SPAN 3.