Republican politicians stormed into a secure meeting room during hearings on animpeachmentprobe into PresidentDonald Trumpand his dealings withUkraine.
Florida CongressmanMatt Gaetzand House Minority WhipSteve Scaliseof Louisiana led dozens ofRepublicansinto a House Intelligence Committee hearing inside a Sensitive Compartmented Information Facility, or SCIF, among many secure rooms throughout the Capitol that are limited only to members of those committees, which include both Democrats and Republicans, where classified information is shared and rank-and-file staff – as well as electronic devices – are prohibited.
Mr Gaetz told reporters outside the committee doors that “we’re gonna go and see if we can get inside” as a flood of Republican officials, reportedly with mobile phones in their hand, opened the doors.
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Proceedings with Pentagon officialLaura Cooper, who oversees US policy in Ukraine, are on hold , and police are conducting a security sweep of the room, according to Politico. California Congressman Adam Schiff, who chairs the committee, called the Sergeant-at-Arms to disperse the more than 30 Republicans who don’t sit on the committee.
In a press conference, Republicans said they’re protesting what they believe are secretive proceedings and are demanding transcripts of witness testimony, despite the sensitivity of the flow of information that’s intended to prevent compromising leaks.
The protest comes a day after crucial testimony fromBill Taylor, acting ambassador to Ukraine, whose damning 14 -page statement to Congress explicitly linked Mr Trump’s request for information into former vice president and political rival Joe Biden was contingent on military aid to the country, contrary to Mr Trump’s denial of the so-called “quid pro quo” arrangement captured on a July phone call with Ukraine PresidentVolodymyr Zelensky.
Mr Trump and his supporters have been trying to undermine the legitimacy of impeachment hearings as Mr Trump has called for more protection from fellow Republicans.
Mr Trump called the probe a “lynching,” and South Carolina Senator and Trump allyLindsey Grahamtold Fox News that the hearings are a ” closed-door, behind-the-scenes, lack-of-due process inquiry. “
“We should dismiss it without a trial because it’s illegitimate on its face, and if it’s allowed to stand, there’s no protection for future presidents,” Mr Graham said.
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