The impeachment inquiry resolution put forth by House Democrats includes a “loophole” that would give the majority party, or Democrats, on the Judiciary Committee the power to reject witnesses requested by the White House, Roll Call reports.
Democrats released the text of the inquiry resolution on Tuesday, which Republicans say does little to nothing to address their concerns moving forward.
According to Roll Call, a provision in the resolution gives Democrats the ability to block key witnesses requested by the White House as the process moves to the House Judiciary Committee, led by chairman Jerry Nadler (D-NY).
Per Roll Call:
Under the House Judiciary procedures, Trump and his counsel will be invited to attend all panel proceedings and ask questions. They can also request additional evidence or witness testimony, but the “committee shall determine whether the suggested evidence is necessary or desirable.”
Manhattan DA’s office employee charged with sexual abuse after alleged incident on Queens subway
Florida prisoner laughs as judge sentences him to life for killing cellmate with pen: ‘You are amusing’
Florida man’s execution date set for killing 2, including small child
Senate GOP launches all-night vote-a-rama to fund ICE, Border Patrol through end of Trump’s term
Ilhan Omar Rages at Reporter Who Confronted Her About Financial Disclosure: ‘You’re Stupid’
Judge Slams the Brakes on Democrats’ Virginia Redistricting, Rules Every Vote ‘Ineffective’
Mexican national convicted of illegally voting in US after false citizenship claims faces removal: DHS
DC pipe bomb suspect pleads not guilty to terrorism and WMD charges
Virginia court declares state’s redistricting vote was unconstitutional in legal win for Republicans
National Gallery of Art receives record $116 million donation for America’s 250th birthday
Appeals Court Sides With Texas on 10 Commandments in Classroom, Overruling Lower Court
Chuck Schumer’s Attempt to Defend the SPLC from Stunning Indictment Earns Him Mockery
Virginia House GOP hangs election survival hopes on courts after gerrymander
Federal court blocks Newsom’s bid to shackle ICE in Trump immigration win
Dem senator likens ICE operations in American streets to oppressive British regime during Revolutionary War
In other words, the provision gives Nadler and fellow Democrats on the committee power to reject White House witnesses as a form of retribution.
“While those due process rights generally align with ones afforded in the previous two presidential impeachments, they provide a big caveat that allows Democrats to strip Trump’s rights away as easily as they gave them to him,” Roll Call explains, adding that the provision applies “to Trump’s stonewalling of any ongoing probes in the Intelligence, Oversight, Foreign Affairs, Judiciary, Financial Services and Ways and Means committees.”
Roll Call explains:
The provision gives Nadler broad discretion to punish Trump for stonewalling any aspect of Democrats’ impeachment investigation, not just allegations Trump withheld U.S. military aid from Ukraine to pressure the country to investigate his political rivals that are the primary focus of the inquiry.
If Trump doesn’t turn over his tax returns to the Ways and Means Committee or his financial records to the Financial Services panel — requests he and his counsel are currently fighting in court — Nadler can use his discretion to deny him and his counsel access to the impeachment proceedings.
Manhattan DA’s office employee charged with sexual abuse after alleged incident on Queens subway
Florida prisoner laughs as judge sentences him to life for killing cellmate with pen: ‘You are amusing’
Florida man’s execution date set for killing 2, including small child
Senate GOP launches all-night vote-a-rama to fund ICE, Border Patrol through end of Trump’s term
Ilhan Omar Rages at Reporter Who Confronted Her About Financial Disclosure: ‘You’re Stupid’
Judge Slams the Brakes on Democrats’ Virginia Redistricting, Rules Every Vote ‘Ineffective’
Mexican national convicted of illegally voting in US after false citizenship claims faces removal: DHS
DC pipe bomb suspect pleads not guilty to terrorism and WMD charges
Virginia court declares state’s redistricting vote was unconstitutional in legal win for Republicans
National Gallery of Art receives record $116 million donation for America’s 250th birthday
Appeals Court Sides With Texas on 10 Commandments in Classroom, Overruling Lower Court
Chuck Schumer’s Attempt to Defend the SPLC from Stunning Indictment Earns Him Mockery
Virginia House GOP hangs election survival hopes on courts after gerrymander
Federal court blocks Newsom’s bid to shackle ICE in Trump immigration win
Dem senator likens ICE operations in American streets to oppressive British regime during Revolutionary War
When Roll Call asked him about the provision, Nadler remained tight-lipped, describing it simply as a “precaution” and adding, “I hope we don’t need to use it.”
As Breitbart News reported, the impeachment resolution also stifles the minority party’s ability to call on the “whistleblower” to testify, giving House Intelligence Committee chairman Adam Schiff (D-CA), who has been conducting impeachment depositions in a secret room in the Capitol Hill basement, unprecedented power:
In addition, while chairman Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA) can reject witnesses proposed by the Republican minority, the ranking member of the minority cannot challenge witnesses called by the chair. Though the minority can appeal the chair’s decision to a vote by the whole committee, the Democratic majority virtually guarantees that Schiff’s veto would be upheld.
The House approved of the rules for the impeachment probe Thursday morning, 232-196.
Story cited here.
