House Republicans erupted in anger after House Intelligence Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler (D-Kangaroo Court) abruptly ended debate over the articles of impeachment levied against President Trump shortly before midnight on Friday, announcing that there would be a vote at 10 a.m. the next day.
“It has been a long two days of consideration of these articles [of impeachment] and it is now very late at night,” Nadler declared. “I want the members on both sides of the aisle to think about what has happened over these last two days and to search their consciousnesses before we cast our final votes.”
“Therefore the committee will now stand in recess until tomorrow morning at 10 a.m. at which point I will move to divide the question so that each of us may have the opportunity to cast up or down votes on each of the articles of impeachment and tell history to be our judge,” said Nadler. “The Committee is in recess.”
Ranking Member Doug Collins tried to object, saying that the chairman had not considered members’ schedules the next day. “Mr. Chairman, there is no consulting from the Ranking Member on your schedule for tomorrow in which you’ve just blown up schedules for everyone?” Collins asked. “You chose not to consult the Ranking Member on a schedule issue of this magnitude? This is kangaroo court that we’re talking about.”
Rep. Louis Gohmert (R-Texas) added his two cents: “It’s Stalinesque. Let’s have a dictator, it was good to hear about that.” Another member shouted: “Unbelievable.”
You can watch the exchange here:
This is how Democrats ended their impeachment hearing today on the House Judiciary Committee pic.twitter.com/oHm2xOrouy
— Ryan Saavedra (@RealSaavedra) December 13, 2019
But that wasn’t the end of it. Despite having spent most of the day sitting through the hearing, Collins had more to say.
“I’m not sure what to say at this second, I’ve been in public life now since 2006 and I have just witnessed the most bush-league stunt I have ever witnessed in my professional life,” Collins told reporters as members filed out of the hearing room. “In the midst of impeachment, the Chairman just ambushed the entire Committee, did not have any consultation with the Ranking Member … we’re going to have votes at 10 a.m. in the morning.”
“So tonight, without consulting the Ranking Member, without consulting anyone, schedules of anybody — we’re scheduling this at 10 a.m.,” the visibly angry Collins continued. “The integrity level of this Committee, the Chairman’s integrity is gone, his staff is gone, this was the most bush-league I have seen forever.”
“And if the American people wondered about this impeachment, they don’t have to wonder anymore. They saw what happened right here tonight,” Collins added. “Because this committee is more concerned about getting on TV in the morning than it was finishing its job tonight and letting the members go home.”
“Words cannot describe how inappropriate this was. I have been saying for the whole year how this committee is just simply rim-shotting the rules of this House and this proves it tonight. They do not care about rules. They have one thing: their hatred of Donald Trump and this showed it tonight because they want to shine in these cameras, get prettied up, and then vote. I am just beyond words. It shows their lack of integrity in this process and the lack of case that they have.”
Collins pointed out that members had made travel arrangements in the morning, expecting to finish up on Thursday and head home for the holiday recess.
“This is why people don’t like [Congress],” Collins explained. “This crap like this is why people are having such a terrible opinion of Congress … because they know it’s all about games, they know it’s all about these TV screens because they want the prime-time hit.”
Rep. Doug Collins holds nothing back, absolutely savaging Rep Jerry Nadler for an "ambush" where "his integrity is gone."
"This committee is more interested in getting on TV in the morning…"
Savage. pic.twitter.com/SxTJU3gjrt
— (((Jason Rantz))) on KTTH Radio (@jasonrantz) December 13, 2019
Earlier in the day, as PJM’s Megan Fox reported, Collins blasted the Chairman for not holding a fair, even-handed hearing.
“This committee finally accomplished its goal… to impeach this president,” he said. “What will be known in 2019 outside of this fact…is that this committee has now sounded the death of minority rights in this committee.” He continued, “This committee has been nothing but a rubber stamp…they don’t care, facts be damned! They don’t care that we had one witness out of three. When I asked for a second witness I was told I couldn’t…I was told I was asking too late.”
“One witness out of two panels; that’s all we had of fact witnesses,” Collins rebuked. “This has been a travesty and a sham from day one. I could talk until I’m blue in the face but nobody on the majority cares! They had no desire to hear any witnesses but their own trained, driven [by] clock-calendar impeachment.”
Unless something changes between now and 10 a.m., the House Intelligence Committee will convene in the morning to vote on the articles of impeachment. PJM will bring you all the latest news as this drama continues to unfold in the Capitol.
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