October 21, 2019 - Issue: Vol. 165, No. 166 — Daily Edition116th Congress (2019 - 2020) - 1st Session

[Page H8265]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




          ALLOW ALL MEMBERS ACCESS TO IMPEACHMENT PROCEEDINGS

  (Mr. LaMALFA asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. LaMALFA. Madam Speaker, I rise today to highlight the failure of 
House Democrats to run a fair and transparent process, ostensibly 
toward an impeachment.
  We have yet to hold a vote on whether or not to actually open up a 
true impeachment inquiry. Instead, Democratic leaders have simply 
decided it for themselves. That goes against all precedent established 
in this Chamber and under the Constitution.
  Last week, I attempted to attend one of their closed-door impeachment 
hearings, or to simply view testimony transcripts, but was promptly 
asked to leave.
  This is exactly what a partisan, secretive, and unfair process looks 
like. Why would Members not have access to an unclassified hearing and 
not be able to view materials that should be public, as they normally 
would? What is there to hide?
  Last week, the Republican whip,   Steve Scalise, filed a rule change 
to allow all Members of Congress access to documents related to this 
impeachment show and the documents associated with it.
  I am fully supportive of this rule change. We will vote on this 
measure soon, and now my colleagues from the other side of the aisle 
must show the American people whether or not they support giving them 
the transparency they deserve in this process.

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