The Republican Party in Congress is considering putting Jim Jordan and Mark Meadows on the Intel Committee. This move would allow the top Republicans to question witnesses in the impeachment inquiry.

According to The Hill:

Top House Republicans are considering temporarily placing two of President Trump’s most ardent allies on the House Intelligence Committee, a move that would shore up Trump’s defense on a key panel that will take a leading role in questioning witnesses during the public phase of Democrats’ impeachment inquiry. 

The two Republicans — Reps. Jim Jordan (Ohio), the top Republican on the House Oversight and Reform Committee, and Oversight member Mark Meadows (N.C.) — would be added as Democrats seek to bring in witnesses who they believe can deliver the most damning testimony about President Trump’s contacts with Ukraine, according to two GOP sources familiar with the deliberations.

The resolution Democrats recently passed laying out how they plan to conduct the public phase of the impeachment inquiry says members of the Intelligence Committee will be able to ask witnesses questions while those on the other two committees involved in impeachment — Oversight and Foreign Affairs — will not be allowed to do so.

By moving Jordan and Meadows, both senior members of the House Freedom Caucus, Republicans will be able to get around this procedure. And both are viewed as being highly invested in the president’s defense. 

This power move would allow two of President Trump’s top defenders to issue a defense on behalf of President Trump.