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.”
Get right out of town
WATCH: Maryland carjacking suspect plows toward cops as they open fire
Suspected DUI driver leads cops on wild chase before dramatic takedown on popular California beach
Mamdani Locked in Unexpected War with NY Teachers Union Over Big Bonuses
Tensions erupt in House hearing as GOP advances anti-socialism resolution while Dems rage: ‘Silly season’
Who pays for US power boom? Blue, red states offer starkly different ways to lower utility bills amid AI surge
Army Secretary Dan Driscoll submits resignation to Trump
Fact check: Trump claims no autism cases among unvaccinated Amish children
Breaking: SCOTUS Gives Trump’s Ballroom Construction the Green Light
Bryan Kohberger’s new lawyer says key questions may soon get answers in court
Vance hosts members from Michigan synagogue attack at rally after el Sayed apology
Vance unloads on El-Sayed after Usha swipe with brutal warning: ‘Way out of your league’
Trump’s White House ballroom construction gets another lifeline from SCOTUS amid heated legal fight
The Fight Against Globalism Is Local: Why Americans Are Fighting Flock Cameras and Data Centers
Democratic Socialists of America Embroiled in ‘Civil War’ Over Future as AOC Is Slammed for ‘Consistent Pattern of Opportunism’
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.
Get right out of town
WATCH: Maryland carjacking suspect plows toward cops as they open fire
Suspected DUI driver leads cops on wild chase before dramatic takedown on popular California beach
Mamdani Locked in Unexpected War with NY Teachers Union Over Big Bonuses
Tensions erupt in House hearing as GOP advances anti-socialism resolution while Dems rage: ‘Silly season’
Who pays for US power boom? Blue, red states offer starkly different ways to lower utility bills amid AI surge
Army Secretary Dan Driscoll submits resignation to Trump
Fact check: Trump claims no autism cases among unvaccinated Amish children
Breaking: SCOTUS Gives Trump’s Ballroom Construction the Green Light
Bryan Kohberger’s new lawyer says key questions may soon get answers in court
Vance hosts members from Michigan synagogue attack at rally after el Sayed apology
Vance unloads on El-Sayed after Usha swipe with brutal warning: ‘Way out of your league’
Trump’s White House ballroom construction gets another lifeline from SCOTUS amid heated legal fight
The Fight Against Globalism Is Local: Why Americans Are Fighting Flock Cameras and Data Centers
Democratic Socialists of America Embroiled in ‘Civil War’ Over Future as AOC Is Slammed for ‘Consistent Pattern of Opportunism’
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.
