Several conservative GOP lawmakers on Thursday reaffirmed their demand for a second special counsel to investigate alleged surveillance abuses at the Justice Department.

Reps. Mark Meadows Mark Randall MeadowsSouthwest Airlines, unions call for six-month extension of government aid Airline CEOs plead with Washington as layoffs loom Trump reacts to Ginsburg's death: 'An amazing woman who led an amazing life' MORE (R-N.C.) and Jim Jordan James (Jim) Daniel JordanSunday shows preview: Justice Ginsburg dies, sparking partisan battle over vacancy before election House passes resolution condemning anti-Asian discrimination relating to coronavirus Republicans call for Judiciary hearing into unrest in cities run by Democrats MORE (R-Ohio) spoke to the need for a second special counsel during a joint appearance with Fox News host Laura Ingraham after Attorney General Jeff Sessions Jefferson (Jeff) Beauregard SessionsGOP set to release controversial Biden report Trump's policies on refugees are as simple as ABCs Ocasio-Cortez, Velázquez call for convention to decide Puerto Rico status MORE resisted such demands earlier in the day.

During the interview, Jordan accused top FBI officials of omitting facts when approaching a secretive court under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) to get a surveillance warrant on former Trump campaign adviser Carter Page.

"Laura, it's supposed to [be] the truth, the whole truth, not part of it, not [with] redactions, and when you go to the court, you gotta give them the whole truth. They did not do that at the FISA court," Jordan said.

"And it was those people – two of them have been fired, three of them have been demoted," he said. "And we don't think that's extraordinary circumstances warranting a second special counsel?"

ADVERTISEMENT

Meadows, the chair of the conservative House Freedom Caucus, and Jordan, the group's previous chair, have been calling for another special counsel for months alongside more than a dozen other GOP lawmakers.

Republicans have seized on revelations that the FBI did not save five months' worth of text messages between two agents accused of pro-Clinton and anti-Trump bias during the 2016 presidential race.

Sessions announced earlier Thursday that he would not appoint a second special counsel to investigate alleged FISA abuses but would instead appoint a federal prosecutor from Utah to lead an investigation inside the Justice Department.

Reps. Trey Gowdy Harold (Trey) Watson GowdySunday shows preview: Election integrity dominates as Nov. 3 nears Tim Scott invokes Breonna Taylor, George Floyd in Trump convention speech Sunday shows preview: Republicans gear up for national convention, USPS debate continues in Washington MORE (R-S.C.) and Bob Goodlatte Robert (Bob) William GoodlatteNo documents? Hoping for legalization? Be wary of Joe Biden Press: Trump's final presidential pardon: himself USCIS chief Cuccinelli blames Paul Ryan for immigration inaction MORE (R-Va.), the chairmen of the House Oversight and Government Reform and Judiciary committees, respectively, called the move "a step in the right direction" while saying they still believed a special counsel was necessary.

"While we continue to believe the appointment of a second Special Counsel is necessary, this is a step in the right direction. We expect that U.S. Attorney Huber, given his reputation, will conduct an independent and thorough investigation," the two chairmen said in a statement.

"Such an investigation is critical to restoring the reputation of both the Bureau and DOJ in the eyes of the American people," they added.

The push to name a second special counsel, which President Trump Donald John TrumpBubba Wallace to be driver of Michael Jordan, Denny Hamlin NASCAR team Graham: GOP will confirm Trump's Supreme Court nominee before the election Southwest Airlines, unions call for six-month extension of government aid MORE has also pressed to see, includes top House Republicans such as Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy Kevin Owen McCarthyMcCarthy's Democratic challenger to launch first TV ad highlighting Air Force service as single mother Trump asked Chamber of Commerce to reconsider Democratic endorsements: report The Hill's Morning Report - Sponsored by The Air Line Pilots Association - White House moves closer to Pelosi on virus relief bill MORE (R-Calif.) and Majority Whip Steve Scalise Stephen (Steve) Joseph ScaliseHouse GOP slated to unveil agenda ahead of election House panel details 'serious' concerns around Florida, Georgia, Texas, Wisconsin elections Scalise hit with ethics complaint over doctored Barkan video MORE (R-La.).

House Speaker Paul Ryan Paul Davis RyanKenosha will be a good bellwether in 2020 At indoor rally, Pence says election runs through Wisconsin Juan Williams: Breaking down the debates MORE (R-Wis.) and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell Addison (Mitch) Mitchell McConnellGraham: GOP will confirm Trump's Supreme Court nominee before the election Trump puts Supreme Court fight at center of Ohio rally The Memo: Dems face balancing act on SCOTUS fight MORE (R-Ky.) have yet to endorse the idea of appointing another special counsel, which some Republicans fear could be used to muddy special counsel Robert Mueller Robert (Bob) MuellerCNN's Toobin warns McCabe is in 'perilous condition' with emboldened Trump CNN anchor rips Trump over Stone while evoking Clinton-Lynch tarmac meeting The Hill's 12:30 Report: New Hampshire fallout MORE's probe into Trump campaign associates' ties to Russia and Moscow's meddling in he 2016 election.