House Intelligence Committee Chairman Rep. Adam Schiff makes one last attempt at steering the impeachment narrative before the first public testimonies begin tomorrow. In a six-page memorandum, Schiff lays out “procedures” for Impeachment Inquiry Hearings. “The hearings will be conducted in a manner that ensures that all participants are treated fairly and with respect, mindful of the solemn and historic task before us.”
As for minority witnesses, Schiff references the resolution passed just weeks ago in the House which laid out Democrats’ rules as the impeachment inquiry continues. For instance, the Committee’s Minority may request witnesses to testify, but requests must include a “detailed written justification of the relevance of the testimony’ of each requested witness.
Schiff is literally admitting, in what is supposed to be a procedural guideline, his unambiguous bias.
The memorandum recognizes that on November 9, the “Ranking Member submitted minority witness requests” and claims “The Committee is evaluating the Minority’s requested witnesses and will give due consideration to witnesses with the scope of the impeachment inquiry.”
Schiff and Pelosi have made the “scope” of their investigation and how they “evaluate” scenarios very clear; whatever, whenever, and however they determine. As evidenced in the very next paragraph, Schiff reminds Republicans that “the House’s impeachment inquiry, and the Committee, will not serve as venues for any Member to further the same sham investigations into the Bidens or into debunked conspiracies about 2016 U.S. election interference that President Trump pressed Ukraine to undertake for his personal political benefit.”
Schiff is literally admitting, in what is supposed to be a procedural guideline, his unambiguous bias. Using rhetoric such as “sham” and “conspiracies” layout his very clear intention for the outcome of the impeachment inquiry. Furthermore, it shows his refusal to even give Republicans and Trump any sort of legal due diligence. His mind is made up.
Throughout the memorandum, Schiff repeatedly references not only the Clinton and Nixon impeachments but continuously states his committee is being consistent with “House Rules and longstanding practice.” It appears to be Schiff’s defensive argument that he is following protocol when in reality, he and Pelosi are calling the shots at their whimsical discretion.
In his final attempt to manipulate the public into thinking he is playing fair, he ends the memorandum:
Consistent with House Rules and longstanding practice, Members who do not sit on any of the three relevant Committees have not been permitted to attend depositions. The deposition rules regarding confidentiality and Member attendance adopt the same approach put in place during Republican majorities. Similarly, the rules governing the Clinton impeachment proceedings limited deposition attendance to Members of the relevant Committee.
