On Friday, House Republican Whip Steve Scalise (R-La.) and Rep. Tom Cole (R-Okla.), introduced a rule change (H. Res. 639) to allow all members of Congress access to ongoing impeachment proceedings, including depositions and transcribed interviews.
"The stakes are too high for Chairman Schiff and Speaker Pelosi's impeachment proceedings to continue in secret,” Rep. Scalise declared, announcing introduction of his “Open and Transparent Impeachment Investigation Resolution.”
House Intel Committee Chair Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) “has no intention of conduction a fair and open process” and wants to impeach the president of the United States through a secret, closed-door effort, Scalise charged:
“The American people's elected representatives have been denied access to relevant documents and the opportunity to attend depositions and transcribed interviews. Chairman Schiff wants to impeach President Trump behind closed doors and clearly has no intention of conducting a fair and open process. We demand transparency.
“For the sake of our republic, Members of Congress must have access to proceedings with such monumental and dangerous consequences. Will House Democrats respect precedent and commit to transparency? Or will Speaker Pelosi continue to hold her sham impeachment inquiry in secret?"
“Real due process, which is part of our Constitutional duty, is being denied, in secret – that’s what’s happening in that room right now,” Scalise said in a House floor speech urging the rule change.
BREAKING: I just filed a rules change to allow ALL Members of Congress access to proceedings related to impeachment.
— Steve Scalise (@SteveScalise) October 18, 2019
Will Democrats allow transparency? Or do they have something to hide?
Time’s up. Schiff’s shady impeachment scheme can’t continue. pic.twitter.com/jLoBaf0rPM
Scalise’s resolution “Requiring that all Members have non-participatory access to committee proceedings related to matters referred to by the Speaker in her announcement of September 24, 2019” is presented below:
‘‘Open and Transparent Impeachment Investigation Resolution’’
A Member, Delegate, or Resident Commissioner shall not be excluded from non-participatory attendance at committee proceedings related to matters referred to by the Speaker in her announcement of September 24, 2019, including transcribed interviews and depositions, notwithstanding regulations issued by the chair of the Committee on Rules pursuant to section 103(a)(2) of H. Res. 6, at the following committees:
(1) Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence.
(2) Committee on Oversight and Reform.
(3) Committee on Foreign Affairs.
(4) Committee on Financial Services.
(5) Committee on Ways and Means.
(6) Committee on the Judiciary.