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.”
Powerful Democratic Donors Terrified About 2028 Due to ‘Floundering’ DNC: Report
NY Sheriff Defies Kathy Hochul’s New Law That Seeks to Block Law Enforcement from Working with ICE
Pro-Trump influencer Laura Loomer shifts toward Ukraine support
Trump questions Thune’s leadership as SAVE America Act stalls
Op-Ed: The First Amendment Isn’t Optional
Army veteran raves over Trump’s plan to ditch illegal alien truck drivers and hire vets
The generational divide over affordability in the Trump economy is all about housing
How One Congressional Resolution Could Save the Midterms: The GOP’s Hindu Vote Gamble
Troy Jackson swapped out Senate campaign official also behind the super PAC backing Abdul el Sayed
Mystery stranger vanishes after family says frantic warning saved their lives during devastating house fire
WNBA Headache Gets Bigger: More Sophie Cunningham Rallies Scheduled
Nancy Guthrie update: DNA couldn’t be profiled from crime scene hair sample, sheriff says
GOP gubernatorial candidate fighting to flip blue state unveils healthcare plan to lower costs, expand access
WATCH: GOP holdout rejects Trump threat as AG nominee standoff explodes
Influencer accused of targeting wealthy dating app matches back behind bars
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.
Powerful Democratic Donors Terrified About 2028 Due to ‘Floundering’ DNC: Report
NY Sheriff Defies Kathy Hochul’s New Law That Seeks to Block Law Enforcement from Working with ICE
Pro-Trump influencer Laura Loomer shifts toward Ukraine support
Trump questions Thune’s leadership as SAVE America Act stalls
Op-Ed: The First Amendment Isn’t Optional
Army veteran raves over Trump’s plan to ditch illegal alien truck drivers and hire vets
The generational divide over affordability in the Trump economy is all about housing
How One Congressional Resolution Could Save the Midterms: The GOP’s Hindu Vote Gamble
Troy Jackson swapped out Senate campaign official also behind the super PAC backing Abdul el Sayed
Mystery stranger vanishes after family says frantic warning saved their lives during devastating house fire
WNBA Headache Gets Bigger: More Sophie Cunningham Rallies Scheduled
Nancy Guthrie update: DNA couldn’t be profiled from crime scene hair sample, sheriff says
GOP gubernatorial candidate fighting to flip blue state unveils healthcare plan to lower costs, expand access
WATCH: GOP holdout rejects Trump threat as AG nominee standoff explodes
Influencer accused of targeting wealthy dating app matches back behind bars
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.
