Exchanges between Watergate figure John Dean and House Judiciary Committee Republicans drew laughs several times during his testimony Monday.

In one such instance, Rep. Jim Jordan James (Jim) Daniel JordanHouse panel pulls Powell into partisan battles over pandemic Sunday shows preview: Justice Ginsburg dies, sparking partisan battle over vacancy before election House passes resolution condemning anti-Asian discrimination relating to coronavirus MORE (R-Ohio) asked Dean to explain earlier remarks claiming President Trump Donald John TrumpSteele Dossier sub-source was subject of FBI counterintelligence probe Pelosi slams Trump executive order on pre-existing conditions: It 'isn't worth the paper it's signed on' Trump 'no longer angry' at Romney because of Supreme Court stance MORE was “incapable of accomplishing anything.”

ADVERTISEMENT

“Mr. Jordan, I think that under the parliamentary rules of the house I'm refrained from addressing a full answer your question,” Dean responded. Told that he was “not refrained” in his tweets, Dean responded that his tweets were “not subject to the parliamentarian.”

Rep. @Jim_Jordan: "What were you thinking about when you said he's incapable of accomplishing anything?"



John Dean: "Mr. Jordan, I think that under the parliamentary rules of the house I'm refrained from addressing a full answer your question." pic.twitter.com/UjO2lfkMTv — CSPAN (@cspan) June 10, 2019

In another exchange, Rep. Matt Gaetz Matthew (Matt) GaetzTrump faces tricky choice on Supreme Court pick Florida attorney general scrutinizing Bloomberg paying fines for felons to vote Lara Trump campaigns with far-right activist candidate Laura Loomer in Florida MORE (R-Fla.), another staunch supporter of Trump in the House, noted that Dean, who has frequently compared Trump to former President Nixon, had written a 2005 essay comparing his former boss to then-President George W. Bush.

“Mr. Dean, how many American presidents have you accused of being Richard Nixon?” Gaetz quipped, accusing Dean of creating a “cottage industry out of” drawing the comparison.

Gaetz went on to accuse Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler Jerrold (Jerry) Lewis NadlerDemocrats shoot down talk of expanding Supreme Court Schumer: 'Nothing is off the table' if GOP moves forward with Ginsburg replacement Top Democrats call for DOJ watchdog to probe Barr over possible 2020 election influence MORE (D-N.Y.) of bringing in Dean as a “prop,” saying that Speaker Nancy Pelosi Nancy PelosiPelosi slams Trump executive order on pre-existing conditions: It 'isn't worth the paper it's signed on' On The Money: Anxious Democrats push for vote on COVID-19 aid | Pelosi, Mnuchin ready to restart talks | Weekly jobless claims increase | Senate treads close to shutdown deadline Trump signs largely symbolic pre-existing conditions order amid lawsuit MORE (D-Calif.) had rebuffed Nadler on opening an impeachment inquiry and that instead "we're here reopening the impeachment inquiry potentially into Richard Nixon, sort of playing out our own version of 'That '70s Show.'"

“That was a speech,” Dean said in response to Gaetz’s remarks, which included a broader condemnation of the investigation into Trump. “I don’t believe I can respond to it. It’s not sufficient time.”

Complete exchange between @Repmattgaetz and @JohnWDean: "Instead of opening the impeachment inquiry into Donald Trump…we're here re-opening the impeachment inquiry potentially into Richard Nixon. Sort of playing out our own version of That '70s Show…you're here as a prop." pic.twitter.com/nt14ALnaow — CSPAN (@cspan) June 10, 2019

Trump blasted Dean as a “loser for many years” on Monday, denying any parallels between himself and Nixon and saying that “you can’t impeach somebody when there’s never been a thing done wrong.”