On Thursday, the Alabama Republican Party thanked Alabama GOP Congressmen Mo Brooks, Bradley Byrne, and Gary Palmer for their participation in storming a closed House Intelligence Committee meeting hearing evidence on the impeachment of President Donald J. Trump (R).
“Thank you! U.S. Representatives Mo Brooks, Bradley Byrne and Gary Palmer-Thank you for not backing down!” Alabama Republican Party Chairman Terri Lathan said. “Americans are tired of “shifty” Schiff and his closed door impeachment hearings. More than 2 dozen House Republicans made a surprise visit to these hearings yesterday on Capitol Hill demanding transparency- and we’re proud of our three guys that were there!”
“Our Alabama conservatives led the protest yesterday as they stood up against the impeachment hearings and the lack of transparency surrounding Schiff’s depositions. Thank you!” Lathan said in an email to Republicans that also included an appeal for donations. “Let Adam Schiff know that you DO NOT support his shady hearings,” Lathan concluded. “Support conservative leaders today by donating to the ALGOP to fight these Democrats!”
Former State Representative and current Trump Victory National Campaign Committee member Perry O. Hooper Jr. issued a statement thanking, “Congressmen Mo Brooks, Bradley Byrne and Gary Palmer for Standing up for President Trump.”
“The Chairman of the Intelligence Committee Congressman Adam Schiff is running an anti- American Committee,” Hooper told the Alabama Political Reporter. “He has denied due process to the President of the United States. People of the great State of Alabama are proud of the House Republicans demanding accountability, transparency and due process from Schiff and his Democrat controlled committee. Chairman Schiff is running an anti-American Kangaroo Court. America needs to stand up with our House Republicans and tell Chairman Schiff that this is America not a Socialist Dictatorship Country.”
“The impeachment circus continued this week – all still behind closed doors,” Congressman Mike Rogers (R-Saks) wrote in an email to constituents. “I sent a letter to House Intelligence Chairman Adam Schiff requesting access to the testimony of Ambassador Kurt Volker, but my request has yet to be handled.”
A committee official told APR, “After Tuesday’s devastating testimony by Ambassador Taylor, over two dozen House Republican Members sought to prevent another witness from cooperating by forcing their way into the Intelligence Committee spaces in violation of house deposition rules. The stunt, in service of the President’s demand that they “fight harder” to obstruct a legitimate impeachment inquiry, has meant that the witness has had to wait for hours for them to leave. They engage in this circus-like behavior because they can’t defend the President’s egregious misconduct.”
The source who is close to the investigation told APR that the House Parliamentarian has ruled that these members are in violation of House deposition rules.
APR was told that it was also a major security breach for these Republican Members to bring their electronics into the secure facility (SCIF).
”Although several members later removed their devices, after being advised by the Sergeant at Arms and security personnel that there were members still in possession of electronic devices, some Republican members refused to completely remove them,” the source told APR. “It is worth remembering this Gowdy quote during Benghazi: “[Issa] is not a [Benghazi] committee member and non-committee members are not allowed in the room during the deposition. Those are the rules and we have to follow them, no exceptions made.””
Republicans argue that Schiff is holding his committee meetings in secret in the basement of the Capitol and has called the inquiry a “Star Chamber” referring to an English appeals court that under Henry the VIII became a device to punish political opponents and other dissenters.
“Minority Members and counsel from the three committees are present for all committee depositions and hearings and have had equal opportunity to ask questions of all the witnesses, as Members from both parties have acknowledged,” the Committee official told APR. “The committees conducting the inquiry have opted to conduct activities in accordance with all applicable House and Committee rules and regulations. More than 120 members of both parties from the three committees are permitted to attend and participate.”
