It would not benefit former President Donald Trump to step in and act as House speaker temporarily, as he says he's willing to do, because it could hinder his fight against the indictments he's facing, former New York City Police Commissioner Bernie Kerik said on Newsmax Friday.
"I think that would be a bad move for him. I honestly do," Kerik told Newsmax's "Newsline." "I think he's got to focus on these persecutions."
There are people "looking at putting him in prison," Kerik added. "There is nothing more serious than the deprivation of your freedom and liberty."
Thursday night, Trump said he would be willing to become speaker of the House "for a short period of time" and serve as a party "unifier" until Republicans settle on a permanent choice to replace ousted Rep. Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif.
Friday, however, Trump said he endorses Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, to become the next speaker.
Jordan, as chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, is a leader in the impeachment inquiry against President Joe Biden, but Kerik said he does not think the probe will be impacted if the Ohio Republican becomes the House speaker.
"I think the members of the Judiciary Committee know what they're doing," said Kerik. "They've been following his lead. If he took over as speaker … they could do the job."
He added that Jordan "has done a phenomenal job investigating and outlining things that have been major problems within Congress and within the government itself.
"I personally like him," Kerik added. "I would like to see him get the job."
Kerik also discussed the subpoena he's received to testify in the Fulton County, Georgia, case against Trump and several other defendants.
"The bottom line is that they identified me as a co-conspirator, an unidentified co-conspirator," said Kerik, adding that means it doesn't make sense to expect him to testify as a state's witness.
"I'd be insane to do that," he said. "That's not going to happen. They would either have to give me immunity, I wouldn't ask for immunity, but they'd have to give it to me, or pull me out of that indictment as a co-conspirator. Otherwise, I'd be crazy to walk in there and testify."
Kerik further said he does not help Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis' case.
"I can tell you I've testified before the Jan. 6 committee," he said. "I've testified before, or I've been interviewed by the special counsel. I've done a number of interviews and depositions for other cases … I don't know what they're thinking."
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Sandy Fitzgerald ✉
Sandy Fitzgerald has more than three decades in journalism and serves as a general assignment writer for Newsmax covering news, media, and politics.
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