Congressman Matt Gaetz (R- FL) was on Fox Business with Lou Dobbs tonight to talk about Lisa Page defying a subpoena, but he also spoke up again in defense of colleague Jim Jordan.

Jordan has been accused of turning a blind eye to sexual abuse when he was a coach at Ohio State University, which he has denied.

Tonight, in a segment first flagged by ThinkProgress’ Aaron Rupar, Dobbs, who criticized Paul Ryan for not doing more to defend Jordan, noted that he finally did so today. Gaetz praised Ryan and said he was glad to see the Speaker comment.

“Jim Jordan is a man of integrity and these attacks against him are a direct consequence of the outstanding oversight work that Jim Jordan is doing,” Gaetz said. “If Jim Jordan was not after the Department of Justice and the FBI, he would not be dealing with these allegations. They are totally false, I am confident in that to my core. And look, Lou, how is Jim Jordan supposed to prove that he didn’t know something 30 years ago when he was a 21-year-old assistant coach? It is an impossible position to be in and it’s outrageous and we have to confront it for what it is.”

Dobbs agreed, calling it a “smear of the worst kind.”

They both agreed there’s something fishy about the timing, and Gaetz actually invoked the “deep state”:

“Right after Jim Jordan brought to the floor the question of the Department of Justice’s complete delay in turning over documents, it’s only days after that, when he elevates the contentiousness of that issue. I think there are people that have some loose affiliation with the deep state that are out to get Jim Jordan, and this is the way that they are manifesting their hatred for a man who’s doing everything to fight for the regular folks in this country who want, demand, and deserve the truth.”

Watch above, via Fox Business Network.

[image via screengrab]

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Follow Josh Feldman on Twitter: @feldmaniac

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