Dog-killing South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem wasn’t the only Republican to come in for a Hannitization on Wednesday night. Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH) also appeared for a rehabilitative interview with Fox News’ Sean Hannity, using the opportunity to plug his new congressional probe in defense of former President Donald Trump — and, implicitly, to respond to criticism from fellow Trump allies Steve Bannon and Maria Bartiromo that his investigations have been ineffective. 

Bannon lashed out at Jordan last week, ranting on his War Room podcast that the House Judiciary chairman’s investigations of the Justice Department and the purported “weaponization of government” and his work to impeach President Joe Biden have all failed. 

“He'll go on Hannity and talk about some stuff, right?” Bannon added. “But nothing happens.” 

Jordan faced a similar critique during a Fox News interview with Bartiromo, who typically carries his water but berated him on Sunday for “congressional investigations that go nowhere” and demanded that the congressman “do something” about Trump’s trials.

Bannon previously said he would “force” Jordan to launch a probe into his pet conspiracy theory that the Biden administration is running Trump’s New York hush money trial through former Justice Department appointee Matthew Colangelo, now a top attorney under Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg. And that’s apparently what happened — on Tuesday, Jordan sent a letter to Attorney General Merrick Garland demanding “information and documents related to Mr. Colangelo’s employment” in light of “the perception that the Justice Department is assisting in Bragg’s politicized prosecution.”

Hannity and Bannon, both key Trump advisers, operate rival power centers within the MAGA movement, with Jordan very much favoring the Fox prime-time host. As Bannon noted, Jordan has been a fixture on Hannity’s program, making scores of appearances in recent years and even garnering the host’s endorsement for his bid for House speaker. 

And so on Wednesday, Hannity offered Jordan a cozy atmosphere to discuss his new letter. Hannity began the interview by telling Jordan that he didn’t understand why Colangelo would have left the DOJ “unless there's maybe coordination of some kind and maybe Joe Biden wanted him there” (it’s not actually an unusual career move), with the House Judiciary chairman responding that that is why his investigation is necessary.

“Alvin Bragg, Letitia James, Jack Smith, all of — and Michael Colangelo, all are conspiring to go after — to influence the 2024 election,” Jordan claimed. “So we want — we're going to get every communication this guy had, that's what we're pursuing.”

Their discussion then turned to explaining why it isn’t Jordan’s fault that it might seem like his probes haven’t amounted to much, with Hannity offering Jordan softball questions and a sympathetic ear. 

“The Department of Justice, you're looking into how it's been weaponized and politicized,” Hannity said. “They have not been forthcoming. They have not been cooperative. You've sent subpoena after subpoena. What other potential powers might you have?”

Jordan responded that contempt referrals are the only option when the administration doesn’t respond to subpoenas. 

“We've issued 90-some subpoenas from the Judiciary Committee,” he added. “I've signed 90-some subpoenas this Congress, but we'll keep doing it to get the facts.”

“Congressman, who would have to sign off on a contempt prosecution?” Hannity replied. “Wouldn't that have to be Joe's Department of Justice?”

“You can also go — it depends if it's civil or criminal, but yeah, typically, it goes to the Justice Department,” Jordan said. “So it's the same Justice Department, but still there's this — that's again, we're the legislative branch, we got to use every tool we have.”

He added, “We can't indict anyone. We can't prosecute anyone. All we can do is go after the facts, use the subpoena power, use the hearing power and use the power of the purse, frankly, to influence these things and get control of these agencies.”

With his segment to repair Jordan’s image done, Hannity let the congressman go and teased his interview with Noem to help another GOP figure rehabilitate their public persona — all in a day's work for Fox's one-man clean-up crew.