House Republicans Storm Secret Impeachment Hearing Today

a reply to: ketsuko

As no Republicans are allowed to take serious and official part in this inquiry,

That is a complete and utter lie.

Stop repeating it.

Republicans are on every committee involved in the investigation and get equal time to question witnesses.

That they CHOOSE to not take part is their choice and their choice alone - you should direct your bile at them.

originally posted by: rickymouse
How come our judicial system is not telling the Democratic Congressmen that they are breaking the law with their actions?

1) Because Congress is not breaking the law.
2) It is not the Judicial Branch's job to tell the Legislative Branch how to conduct its business.

a reply to: rnaa

You probably even believe that too.

originally posted by: ketsuko
a reply to: rnaa

You probably even believe that too.

You know this stuff is in the Congressional Record don't you?

Attendances at committee meetings, and the remarks made can be researched.

If authorized committee members are being excluded from the committee meetings, why aren't THEY raising hell? Why is it only non-committee members that are complaining?

If the non-committee members really want to take part, they should discuss it with the party leadership to be appointed to the relevant committee. Apparently there are members who don't want to participate that would be willing to give up their place.

a reply to: queenofswords

originally posted by: Ophiuchus 13
@Will there be immediate violence if Trump is taken from office?

a reply to: JAGStorm

Probably not...

Some will probably act out until they come to the realization of what the core American people really are which is a mixture of ethnicity/religious beliefs/genders/races.

It seems some are stuck in the old world ways of thinking and behaving and do not realize that...most of America is growing up without their old world ways of thinking. In turn prepping those growing up, for a New integrated world...

Last it looks like a trap. Get part of the population upset enough to carry out nefarious activities. They destabilize the country and by doing so are marked... Unexpectedly and possibly caged.

RUSSIA Wins again🤔
The remaining destabilized part of the population, weakened is easy pray for round up. And TPTB still win and the people of the UNITED STATES OF AMERICA loose...

And none are even sensing what the hate being generated, is being generated for.
Activate the 3rd eyes you can see.

TPTB WIN...

a reply to: RudeMarine

These are the same rules that the Republicans used during the Benghazi investigation. Most of those witness hearings were behind closed doors. Not public at all.

When Darrell Issa tried to crash a deposition he was blocked by Trey Gowdy. So the Republicans know the rules but chose to break them anyways.

Why do you support these rule breakers? Bringing a cell phone into a secure area is a potential felony? I hope that each of those involved in this stunt has their clearances revoked.

originally posted by: Liquesence
a reply to: Scepticaldem

It's closed because for one it involves sensitive national security Issues...

That's a complete falsehood! By Schiff's own admission.

... and information that doesn't need to be made public yet.

BS again! Yeah, because the dems want to selectively "leak" the information being provided in a preceding which isn't even a formal preceding to the MSM.

That's also why it's in a secure room where electronics are not allowed.

Wrong again! The room, allegedly a "SCIF" is only functioning in that capacity if classified information is being presented. If not, it's just another conference room. I've had many a meeting in a SCIF where the door was just left open and there was no classified information. It was just the most convenient room available. UNLESS, of course, you're Schiff and trying to make something seem other than it is.

Another, I would imagine, is so witnesses aren't privy to previous testimony, which future witnesses could use to shape their own testimony.

OR, so the dems can "shape" their own testimony, out of context, and away from the public, and feed it to the MSM

You're welcome to your opinion. As are we all.

Some try to look for facts before forming an opinion.

a reply to: grey580

And I had a problem with that then, just like I have a problem with this now, and have said as much. In fact, if you look back there were a whole lot of people on both sides screaming about that.

a reply to: Flyingclaydisk

I agree, in theory, that most, if not all of these hearings should be in the public eye.

But, I can see the necessity of certain closed door hearings "IF" the information being discussed could be of a sensitive nature to National Security.

btw. Where did Schiff say that the meeting wasn't discussing anything sensitive?

originally posted by: LSU2018

originally posted by: Wayfarer

originally posted by: Blaine91555
a reply to: seagull

One of the gravest dangers in blind party loyalty is how easily people can be manipulated by it, into accepting things they should know are wrong.

Damn right this will now be done to the next Democrat President. It's entirely possible Trump could be impeached in the House, but at what cost in the future.

A great point!

I mean, if Democrats do this to Trump, whats to stop Republicans from doing something equally odious like refusing to hold a confirmation on a duly nominated SC justice who was nominated by a Democratic president so that they could run out the clock till a Republican president was in power to nominate a hard-line conservative!?

Truly a slippery slope indeed.

Introducing the Nuclear Option with forewarning from Republican leaders was better. I'm glad democrats never think ahead.

Well then I'm glad that you're glad that the result of these actions is leading to Trump possibly being impeached.

originally posted by: seagull
a reply to: Wayfarer

Oh, right...

So two wrongs make a right, is it??

This is precisely the problem that needs to be dealt with. Blind, stupid staring party politics. They did it, so it's OK for us to do it right back.

Stupid is the only word I can come up with to describe that attitude. That won't get me banned, anyway...

I agree with you that its stupid, but which side is going to be the first to back down? Surely you don't want the Republicans to back down just as I don't want the Democrats to back down.

Likely you feel like there is no amount of 'retribution' the Republicans could ever pay the Democrats back with, so its not so bad that they do it forevermore, whereas you may fail to grasp that the opposite side thinks of it the exact same way.

Personally I think it foolish that anyone believes there is any decorum left, and even more foolish to think that we ever walk back from this precipice to friendlier political times. My take is the partisan divide/war only increases in severity until nobody in the US remembers a time anymore when their parties goal was anything other than simply to stop the other guys at all costs.


Apropos to that, I can only imagine how delighted Putin is by this prospect.

The house is such a joke. Send them all home and bring in random people to do their jobs. Maybe something would get done for once.

originally posted by: Wayfarer

Personally I think it foolish that anyone believes there is any decorum left, and even more foolish to think that we ever walk back from this precipice to friendlier political times. My take is the partisan divide/war only increases in severity until nobody in the US remembers a time anymore when their parties goal was anything other than simply to stop the other guys at all costs.

It needs conclusion, whatever the outcome.

I care much less whether Trump is removed from office than I do about all the facts and evidence being laid bare and tested.

The house should gather whatever they need in evidence and Vote to impeach.

In a Senate trial the GOP can excoriate the evidence and expose the Dems for the partisan liars they are

OR

The Dems can thoroughly and factually demonstrate that the President has grotesquely abused his power as no President before him has and deserves to be removed from office.

I am less concerned with outcome and more concerned with those trying to stop the process that gets us there.

Both Clinton and Nixon had Special Prosecutors conduct the investigation and forward evidence with recommendations for articles of impeachment.

Not the case here.

Those investigations were dramatically less public than what the House is tasked with, and Clinton did not have dozens of allies present and asking questions with each deposition in those Special Prosecutor investigations.

I'd say this impeachment inquiry affords GOP more access than ever before in an investigation. Again Special Prosecutors are not tasked with this inquiry or Articles of Impeachment recommendations as they were with Clinton and Nixon.



If the House indicts, then a Senate trial involves a full airing of the complete evidence for everyone, full transcripts, both sides can subpoena and question witnesses with the other side cross-examining etc. and attorneys questioning evidence for both prosecution and defense with Chief Justice Roberts over-seeing the proceedings.

And every Senator can go on record, vote and declare their belief on the matter and the public can come to it's own conclusions.

If the GOP believe Trump to be innocent they should be enthusiastic about a Senate Trial where they can Subpoena and question whoever they like and tear apart the false evidence and make clear their defense. The GOP can do this with the world watching and shame and destroy the Democrats right before a National Election, exposing the "Lynching" for what it is and the Dems as the dishonest partisan Mob they are...Right?

I am confused why they are focusing their efforts on disrupting the actual gathering of evidence and disrupting the path to their opportunity to defend the President?

originally posted by: Extorris

originally posted by: Wayfarer

Personally I think it foolish that anyone believes there is any decorum left, and even more foolish to think that we ever walk back from this precipice to friendlier political times. My take is the partisan divide/war only increases in severity until nobody in the US remembers a time anymore when their parties goal was anything other than simply to stop the other guys at all costs.

It needs conclusion, whatever the outcome.

I care much less whether Trump is removed from office than I do about all the facts and evidence being laid bare and tested.

The house should gather whatever they need in evidence and Vote to impeach.

In a Senate trial the GOP can excoriate the evidence and expose the Dems for the partisan liars they are

OR

The Dems can thoroughly and factually demonstrate that the President has grotesquely abused his power as no President before him has and deserves to be removed from office.

I am less concerned with outcome and more concerned with those trying to stop the process that gets us there.

Both Clinton and Nixon had Special Prosecutors conduct the investigation and forward evidence with recommendations for articles of impeachment.

Not the case here.

Those investigations were dramatically less public than what the House is tasked with, and Clinton did not have dozens of allies present and asking questions with each deposition in those Special Prosecutor investigations.

I'd say this impeachment inquiry affords GOP more access than ever before in an investigation. Again Special Prosecutors are not tasked with this inquiry or Articles of Impeachment recommendations as they were with Clinton and Nixon.



If the House indicts, then a Senate trial involves a full airing of the complete evidence for everyone, full transcripts, both sides can subpoena and question witnesses with the other side cross-examining etc. and attorneys questioning evidence for both prosecution and defense with Chief Justice Roberts over-seeing the proceedings.

And every Senator can go on record, vote and declare their belief on the matter and the public can come to it's own conclusions.

If the GOP believe Trump to be innocent they should be enthusiastic about a Senate Trial where they can Subpoena and question whoever they like and tear apart the false evidence and make clear their defense. The GOP can do this with the world watching and shame and destroy the Democrats right before a National Election, exposing the "Lynching" for what it is and the Dems as the dishonest partisan Mob they are...Right?

I am confused why they are focusing their efforts on disrupting the actual gathering of evidence and disrupting the path to their opportunity to defend the President?

You're preaching to the choir here bud! I'm fully behind the proceedings and believe them to be kosher (and very much want to at least expose the crimes as you do even if its almost certainly not going to be taken seriously by the Conservatives in congress). I'm just explaining what I believe to be the likely contrary viewpoint from our fellows here on ATS, namely that it will never look kosher to them because it will always be tainted by the tit-for-tat paradigm that people now believe in/thirst for.

No matter how rational our arguments are or how damning the evidence, those who support Trump aren't going to be able to see this as anything other than what Trump's PR is blasting it as.

I still love you for fighting the good fight and trying though!

"As frustrating as it may be to have these hearings going on behind closed doors...they are consistent with the rules," Napolitano, who previously served as a New Jersey Superior Court judge, explained during a segment of the Fox News morning show Fox & Friends.

"When were the rules written last?" the legal expert asked. "In January of 2015. And who signed them? John Boehner [the Republican speaker of the House]. And who enacted them? A Republican majority,"

lol gop is so funny

Dems using GOP own rules against them 5d chess

originally posted by: Extorris
I am confused why they are focusing their efforts on disrupting the actual gathering of evidence and disrupting the path to their opportunity to defend the President?

What is so confusing? You just very adequately explained how the Democrats have chosen an unprecedented path to conduct their political investigation; but you don't understand why the Republicans would call foul?

You question "If the GOP believe Trump to be innocent they should be enthusiastic about a Senate Trial" and a very simple answer is that you can hurt a politician simply by having a trial irregardless of whether he or she is found guilty or not.

My question to you is "If the Democrats believe Trump to be unquestionably guilty; why have they chosen an unprecedented path to conduct this investigation?" Yes I understand they can follow any path or rules they want; but the question is why did they choose something different? Why did they open themselves up to even have their integrity question by not following president?

Hint its the same reason why the Republicans are calling foul on every move they make.

a reply to: DanDanDat

LOL "unprecedented", the GOP created the very rules you are crying about LOL don't you remember benghazi?


BENGHAZI!

originally posted by: Theyy
a reply to: DanDanDat

LOL "unprecedented", the GOP created the very rules you are crying about LOL don't you remember benghazi?

BENGHAZI!

I must have missed when Benghazi was consider a formal impeachment inquiry.

a reply to: DanDanDat

That's okay, i was just talking about the closed door rules created by the GOP in 2015 benghazi. look it up or not doesn't matter

BENGHAZI!

originally posted by: Theyy
a reply to: DanDanDat

That's okay, i was just talking about the closed door rules created by the GOP in 2015 benghazi. look it up or not doesn't matter

BENGHAZI!

So your saying that during Obama's formal impeachment inquiry into benghazi; the Republican house members created closed door rules?