Republicans call for transparency in impeachment inquiry

[Sandy Shanks]

Weeks ago the White House sent a letter to the House demanding the full House vote on the impeachment inquiry and threatened lack of cooperation in the investigation. Trump's White House has since refused to engage with the impeachment inquiry because it argues the President is denied due process. It has not complied with congressional subpoenas and has instructed administration officials and those associated with Trump to do the same.

Since then Republicans have been calling for transparency and due process for Trump.

The Republican complaints can be summed up in Senator Lindsey Graham's resolution to censure the House for its investigative process.

Among Graham's complaints are that the House has not voted to open the impeachment inquiry, that witnesses so far have given closed-door testimonies, and that Trump is being denied his rights to defend himself against the allegations emerging from the process.

For Democrats the investigation stage of impeachment is largely complete enabling the grounds for impeachment. Soon the public phase of the impeachment inquiry will begin, and they drafted the ground rules, placing them in a House resolution which will be voted on Thursday.

The eight-page resolution calls for public hearings and lays out their general format, and specifically permits staff counsels to question witnesses for periods of up to 45 minutes per side, Democrats and Republicans.

The resolution gives the minority the same rights to question witnesses that the majority has, as has been true at every step of the inquiry. That is something that Jordan and Scalise failed to mention today in their haste to find out the identity of the whistleblower.

The measure also would allow the President or his counsel to participate in impeachment proceedings held by the House Judiciary Committee.

The resolution authorizes the Intelligence Committee to make all transcripts public with appropriate redactions to prevent the disclosure of classified information.

A word of caution to Republicans trying to defend Trump. Be careful what you wish for.

 

[Bo Didleysquat]

Too late.

 

[Sandy Shanks]

The White House denounced the resolution.

"The resolution put forward by Speaker Pelosi confirms that House Democrats’ impeachment has been an illegitimate sham from the start as it lacked any proper authorization by a House vote," White House Press Secretary Stephanie Grisham said in a statement. "It continues this scam by allowing Chairman Schiff, who repeatedly lies to the American people, to hold a new round of hearings, still without any due process for the President."

The "scam" is a power granted to Congress in Article One of our Constitution, and Congress has complete say as to how the impeachment will proceed. Apparently, the White House doesn't know this.

Apparently, the White House doesn't know the difference between an impeachment inquiry and articles of impeachment. They still can't understand that when the time comes Trump will get all the rights accorded to the accused.

Or, the White House didn't read the resolution before slamming it.

Or, the White House assumes Americans are stupid.

 

[Third Party]

Weeks ago the White House sent a letter to the House demanding the full House vote on the impeachment inquiry and threatened lack of cooperation in the investigation. Trump's White House has since refused to engage with the impeachment inquiry because it argues the President is denied due process. It has not complied with congressional subpoenas and has instructed administration officials and those associated with Trump to do the same.

Since then Republicans have been calling for transparency and due process for Trump.

The Republican complaints can be summed up in Senator Lindsey Graham's resolution to censure the House for its investigative process.

Among Graham's complaints are that the House has not voted to open the impeachment inquiry, that witnesses so far have given closed-door testimonies, and that Trump is being denied his rights to defend himself against the allegations emerging from the process.

For Democrats the investigation stage of impeachment is largely complete enabling the grounds for impeachment. Soon the public phase of the impeachment inquiry will begin, and they drafted the ground rules, placing them in a House resolution which will be voted on Thursday.

The eight-page resolution calls for public hearings and lays out their general format, and specifically permits staff counsels to question witnesses for periods of up to 45 minutes per side, Democrats and Republicans.

The resolution gives the minority the same rights to question witnesses that the majority has, as has been true at every step of the inquiry. That is something that Jordan and Scalise failed to mention today in their haste to find out the identity of the whistleblower.

The measure also would allow the President or his counsel to participate in impeachment proceedings held by the House Judiciary Committee.

The resolution authorizes the Intelligence Committee to make all transcripts public with appropriate redactions to prevent the disclosure of classified information.

A word of caution to Republicans trying to defend Trump. Be careful what you wish for.

TRANSPARENCY NOW!

 

[occupied]

What do republicans really want? Transparency? Hardly, they want to sabotage the process and tamper with the witnesses.

 

[Third Party]

What do republicans really want? Transparency? Hardly, they want to sabotage the process and tamper with the witnesses.

I don't know-I am an Independent and THAT"S what I want! I don't see how transparency is sabotaging a process or witness tampering. WHAT IS ADAM SCHIFF HIDING?