Jim Jordan says ‘bookkeeping error’ at center of Trump hush-money case

Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) is saying that a “bookkeeping error” is pushing the investigation into former President Trump’s alleged role in hush-money payments made to adult film star Stormy Daniels before the 2016 presidential election.

As questions loom over whether a New York grand jury will indict Trump this week, many Republicans have come to Trump’s defense to decry that the investigation and potential indictment were politically motivated. Jordan, who chairs the House Judiciary Committee, sent a letter to Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg along with two other GOP House chairmen demanding him to deliver testimony in connection with the hush-money probe.

CNN’s Manu Raju asked Jordan at the GOP retreat in Orlando about Trump’s possible indictment on Monday after noting that the House majority is expected to go after Bragg for prosecuting the former president.

“And then what changed?” Jordan responded. “President Trump announces he’s running for president and shazam! Now they are — we’re going to have some bookkeeping error from seven years ago.”

Jordan also said he does not think Trump “broke the law at all,” and noted that any potential charges would be just “a misdemeanor.”

Jordan reiterated that a “bookkeeping error” is to blame for the investigation on Fox’s “The Faulkner Focus” on Monday, saying, “Now they come after [Trump] for some alleged bookkeeping error? You’ve gotta be kidding me!”

Legal experts say that prosecutors could be looking to charge Trump with falsifying business records regarding the hush-money payment. If Bragg chooses to indict Trump, prosecutors would need to prove that Trump was personally involved in designating reimbursements made by his then-attorney Michael Cohen as a legal expense with an intent to defraud.

The grand jury in Manhattan is investigating Trump’s alleged role into a $130,000 payment that Cohen, Trump’s former attorney, made to Daniels to prevent her from speaking out about an alleged affair she had with the former president. The grand jury investigation has garnered national attention over the weekend after Trump said on Truth Social that he expects to be arrested on Tuesday in connection to the investigation.

Barricades were unloaded outside the Manhattan Criminal Court on Monday after Trump called for protests regarding his potential arrest. This call sparked fears of violence among lawmakers, with some saying it was reminiscent of Trump calling on is supporters to protest the results of the 2020 election.