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When Charles Littlejohn worked as a contractor at the Internal Revenue Service, he abused his position, accessed Donald Trump’s tax records, and leaked them to The New York Times. The Justice Department investigated, found the culprit, and charged him with unauthorized disclosure of tax information.
Littlejohn ultimately pleaded guilty, and federal prosecutors sought the statutory maximum of five years in federal prison. Two weeks ago, a judge agreed, and the defendant received exactly the sentence the Justice Department wanted to see. (The jurist who agreed to the statutory maximum sentence, U.S. District Judge Ana C. Reyes, was appointed to the bench by President Joe Biden.)
In general, Republicans haven’t had much to say about this story, because it doesn’t advance any of the right’s preferred narratives. The Biden administration’s Justice Department didn’t shrug off the case because Trump was the victim; prosecutors did the opposite, taking the case seriously and pursuing it with vigor, without regard for party.
For all the talk about a “weaponized” DOJ, and rascally Democrats politicizing federal law enforcement, the prosecution of Charles Littlejohn added fresh evidence to the fact that GOP claims about a “two-tiered” justice system are nonsense.
But — and you had to know a “but” was coming — some Republicans don’t quite see it this way. In fact, as the conservative Washington Times reported, House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan has opened an investigation into the investigation.
House Republicans announced a probe Thursday into what they said was the Justice Department’s lenient treatment of the man who leaked then-President Trump’s taxes. ... Rep. Jim Jordan, chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, said the Justice Department needed to explain why it went soft on Littlejohn’s “shocking” crimes. ... Mr. Jordan asked Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicole Argentieri to turn over files detailing how the Justice Department made its decisions about charging Littlejohn.
Jordan’s office issued a press statement characterizing Littlejohn’s prosecution as a “sweetheart deal,” arguing that the criminal in this case accessed and leaked others’ tax documents — not just the former president’s — and those abuses weren’t included in the indictment.
Time will tell what, if anything, comes of the GOP probe, but in the meantime, it’s worth pausing to appreciate the fact that House Republicans, especially Jordan, appear to have an incredible fondness for investigating investigations.
Circling back to our earlier coverage, it looks like it’s time to update the big list:
- The GOP found the investigation into Donald Trump’s Russia scandal to be problematic, so Republicans investigated the investigation.
- The party didn’t care that Hillary Clinton was cleared in her email controversy, so Republicans endorsed investigating the investigation.
- Much of the party opposed the bipartisan investigation into the Jan. 6 attack, so Republicans are investigating the investigation.
- Jordan and his cohorts were outraged by the former president’s indictment in New York, so they launched an investigation into the investigation.
- Jordan and his cohorts were also outraged by the former president’s indictment in Georgia, so they launched an investigation into the investigation.
- Congressional Republicans are incensed by special counsel Jack Smith’s probe, so the party is investigating the investigation.
- GOP officials have all kinds of concerns about Hunter Biden’s case, so the party is investigating the investigation.
- Washington D.C. Attorney General Brian Schwalb launched an investigation into Leonard Leo and his network of non-profit groups, so Republicans are investigating this investigation, too.
The bad news for Jordan is that his bid for House speaker fell far short last fall. The good news for the Ohio Republican is that his failure gave him more time to pursue his favorite congressional hobby.
This post updates our related earlier coverage.