The man at the spearpoint of the impeachment inquiry House Intelligence Chair Adam Schiff (D-CA) said that he understood why Donald Trump wants to halt additional witnesses. Yet, he said that he was puzzled by other’s responses to the inquiry. Here is what the lawmaker said.
Schiff told reporters he did not understand why those on the Republican side of the aisle were “enabling his [Trump’s] obstruction.” He wondered about their duty and “respect for the rule of law:”
‘I understand why Trump doesn’t want more witnesses testifying. But I can’t understand why my GOP colleagues are enabling his obstruction. Where is their duty to this institution? Where is their duty to the Constitution? Where is their respect for the rule of law?’
The Intelligence Committee chairman vowed Democrats will not be slowed by legal battles in their march toward impeachment.
President Donald Trump’s effort to block a former national security aide from testifying in Democrats’ impeachment inquiry is strengthening the case for impeachment based on obstruction of Congress, House Intelligence Chairman Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) said Monday.
Schiff also told reporters that Charles Kupperman — who skipped a Monday morning deposition and is seeking a judge’s ruling on whether he has to testify — may be held in contempt of Congress.
Schiff noted that people cannot bring a lawsuit against Congress simply to avoid testifying, according to POLITICO:
‘A private citizen cannot sue the Congress to avoid coming in when they are served a lawful subpoena.’
When the U.S. Deputy National Security Adviser Charles Kupperman ignored the congressional subpoena, Schiff said that the White House had:
‘[A] very powerful case against the president for obstruction, an article of impeachment based on obstruction.’
Schiff said the president wanted to block Kupperman, because he was worried about “damning testimony” Trump forced Ukraine to open an investigation into his top political opponent. He offered a quid pro quo or military aid and a White House visit in return for digging up dirt on former vice president Joe Biden’s family.
Kupperman’s attorney files a lawsuit to decide whether he should obey the House or the president.
The committee chair said that he had no intention of getting involved in a long court battle, designed to slow-walk the investigation inquiry:
‘We are not willing to allow the White House to engage us in a lengthy game of rope-a-dope with the courts.’
Schiff’s comments came shortly after Republicans derided the impeachment inquiry as a farce built on hearsay.
The Republicans have been denouncing the Democrats’ impeachment inquiry as built upon hearsay. Representative Mark Meadows (R-NC) went to the World Series with the president and came out today with this:
‘Every single witness who talked to the president, each and every time they’ve said he did nothing wrong, he’s innocent of any charges. It’s always people who talked to people who have talked to other people who think that he might have meant this. When you get direct evidence, this president is not only innocent, but he certainly has not done anything impeachable and it’s time we bring this charade to a close.’
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