Anyone who has raised children understands that when they are doing things they are not supposed to do they are either very quiet or behind closed doors. Unfortunately, that can also be true for adults. The latest example of that concept is the fact that the House of Representatives, without taking a vote, has been conducting impeachment hearings behind closed doors. The most frustrating aspect of this is the Republicans who have not had the backbone to fight what is obviously unconstitutional. Well, that is about to change.<\/p>\n
Yesterday CNS News<\/a> reported that House Republican Whip Steve Scalise (R-La.) and Rep. Tom Cole (R-Okla.), introduced a rule change (H. Res. 639) to allow all members of Congress access to ongoing impeachment proceedings, including depositions and transcribed interviews. The only thing better than that would be to let the American people have access to these things.<\/p>\n The article reports:<\/p>\n House Intel Committee Chair Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) \u201chas no intention of conduction a fair and open process\u201d and wants to impeach the president of the United States through a secret, closed-door effort, Scalise charged:<\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cThe American people’s elected representatives have been denied access to relevant documents and the opportunity to attend depositions and transcribed interviews. Chairman Schiff wants to impeach President Trump behind closed doors and clearly has no intention of conducting a fair and open process. We demand transparency.<\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cFor the sake of our republic, Members of Congress must have access to proceedings with such monumental and dangerous consequences. Will House Democrats respect precedent and commit to transparency? Or will Speaker Pelosi continue to hold her sham impeachment inquiry in secret?”<\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cReal due process, which is part of our Constitutional duty, is being denied, in secret \u2013 that\u2019s what\u2019s happening in that room right now,\u201d Scalise said in a House floor speech urging the rule change.<\/strong><\/p>\n This is the Resolution:<\/p>\n \u2018\u2018Open and Transparent Impeachment Investigation Resolution\u2019\u2019<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n A Member, Delegate, or Resident Commissioner shall not be excluded from non-participatory attendance at committee proceedings related to matters referred to by the Speaker in her announcement of September 24, 2019, including transcribed interviews and depositions, notwithstanding regulations issued by the chair of the Committee on Rules pursuant to section 103(a)(2) of H. Res. 6, at the following committees:<\/strong><\/p>\n (1) Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence.<\/strong><\/p>\n (2) Committee on Oversight and Reform.<\/strong><\/p>\n (3) Committee on Foreign Affairs.<\/strong><\/p>\n (4) Committee on Financial Services.<\/strong><\/p>\n (5) Committee on Ways and Means.<\/strong><\/p>\n (6) Committee on the Judiciary.<\/strong><\/p>\n It’s not perfect, but it’s a start.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Anyone who has raised children understands that when they are doing things they are not supposed to do they are either very quiet or behind closed doors. Unfortunately, that can also be true for adults. The latest example of that … Continue reading