Republican lawmakers on Wednesday morning held a press conference before they attempted to enter a House Intelligence Committee meeting, demanding transparency during the impeachment inquiry.
Approximately two-dozen House Republicans appeared at the press conference before they went inside the closed-door impeachment proceedings.
In the press conference, Rep. Steve Scalise (R-La.) described the inquiry as being Soviet-like. “Maybe in the Soviet Union this kind of thing is commonplace,” he said, adding that its behind “closed doors.”
COMING UP: Rep. Matt Gaetz will lead a delegation of Republican members of Congress to the House Intelligence Committee deposition, where they will demand increased transparency and inclusion in the impeachment process from House Democrats.
WATCH LIVE: https://t.co/gjJnUIPPDj pic.twitter.com/dbTWLUte5Z
— Rep. Matt Gaetz (@RepMattGaetz) October 23, 2019
Scalise blasted the inquiry as an attempt to influence the upcoming 2020 election, saying Reps. Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) shouldnt have that kind of power.
“They call the witnesses … they dont even let the presidents legal counsel call the witnesses,” he said.
“Through those hidden closed doors over there Adam Schiff is trying to impeach a president of the United States, behind closed doors, literally trying to overturn the results of the 2016 election a year before Americans get to go to the polls to decide whos going to be the president. And frankly it should be the people of this country who decide whos going to be the president, not Nancy Pelosi, not Adam Schiff behind closed doors,” he added
Rep. Mark Walker (R-N.C.) came up next, saying that the president “is not above justice, but neither is he below it. Facing your accusers, the ability to call witnesses, cross-examination, the right to object to evidence, an ability to attend hearings, depositions, and interviews” are basic rights.
