Matt Gaetz claimed the GOP was shut out of an impeachment hearing. 48 Republicans were welcome in the room.
Congress' impeachment hearings have been pretty darn congressional.
Yet Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) and a slew of other Republicans seemed to think the hearings involving three bipartisan committees just weren't welcoming enough. So ignoring the fact that 48 Republicans were already allowed into what Gaetz described as "secret interviews" to investigate President Trump, he and a few dozen other GOP congressmembers stormed into a secure room Wednesday and delayed a hearing for five hours.
The stunt began Wednesday when Gaetz marched his Republican battalion into the basement of the Capitol and gave remarks decrying what he called "secret interviews" led by House Intelligence Chair Adam Schiff (R-Calif.). Gaetz and company then charged into the House's Sensitive Compartmented Information Facility, delaying an impeachment interview with Wednesday's testimony with Laura Cooper, who oversees Ukraine policy for the Defense Department. Republicans proceeded to complain that Schiff "up and left" the room when the Republicans walked in carrying banned electronic devices.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
It's true Gaetz and many of the Republicans with him weren't allowed into Miller's hearings. But that's because they're not on the House Foreign Affairs, Intelligence, or Oversight committees conducting impeachment interviews into President Trump. If they'd wanted more information on the hearings, they could've asked Republicans on those committees, like House Oversight Ranking Member Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) or perhaps Vice President Mike Pence's brother Greg Pence (D-Ind.), who's on foreign affairs. Or maybe not, because Jordan himself — along with several other committee members — helped lead the apparent "storming" of the hearing he was undoubtedly welcome to be at.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Kathryn is a graduate of Syracuse University, with degrees in magazine journalism and information technology, along with hours to earn another degree after working at SU's independent paper The Daily Orange. She's currently recovering from a horse addiction while living in New York City, and likes to share her extremely dry sense of humor on Twitter.
-
The Trump administration says it deports dangerous criminals. ICE data tells a different story.IN THE SPOTLIGHT Arrest data points to an inconvenient truth for the White House’s ongoing deportation agenda
-
Ex-FBI agents sue Patel over protest firingspeed read The former FBI agents were fired for kneeling during a 2020 racial justice protest for ‘apolitical tactical reasons’
-
The real tragedy that inspired ‘Hamlet,’ the life of a pingpong prodigy and the third ‘Avatar’ adventure in December moviesThe Week Recommends This month’s new releases include ‘Hamnet,’ ‘Marty Supreme’ and ‘Avatar: Fire and Ash’
-
Ex-FBI agents sue Patel over protest firingspeed read The former FBI agents were fired for kneeling during a 2020 racial justice protest for ‘apolitical tactical reasons’
-
Trump unveils $12B bailout for tariff-hit farmersSpeed Read The president continues to insist that his tariff policy is working
-
Trump’s Comey case dealt new setbackspeed read A federal judge ruled that key evidence could not be used in an effort to reindict former FBI Director James Comey
-
Moscow cheers Trump’s new ‘America First’ strategyspeed read The president’s national security strategy seeks ‘strategic stability’ with Russia
-
Trump tightens restrictions for work visasSpeed Read The length of work permits for asylum seekers and refugees has been shortened from five years to 18 months
-
Supreme Court revives Texas GOP gerrymanderSpeed Read Texas Republicans can use the congressional map they approved in August at President Donald Trump’s behest
-
Boat strike footage rattles some lawmakersSpeed Read ‘Disturbing’ footage of the Sept. 2 attack on an alleged drug-trafficking boat also shows the second strike that killed two survivors who were clinging to the wreckage
-
Trump boosts gas cars in fuel economy rollbackspeed read Watering down fuel efficiency standards is another blow to former President Biden’s effort to boost electric vehicles
