During the second half of questioning at Friday's impeachment inquiry hearing on Capitol Hill, House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff shut down questioning of former Ukraine Ambassador Marie Yovanovitch from Republican Congresswoman Elise Stefanik. Schiff did so after Ranking Member Devin Nunes yielded his time to Stefanik.
"The gentlewoman will suspend," Schiff asked.
"What is the interruption for this time?" Stefanik asked. "This is the fifth time you've interrupted duly elected members of Congress."
"You're gagging the gentle lady from New York?" Nunes asked. "Mr. Chair, we control the time. It's been customary in this Committee that whoever controls the time can yield to whoever they wish. It seems appropriate that we let Ms. Stefanik ask her question."
Watch:
Once again, Adam Schiff flat out REFUSES to let duly elected Members of Congress ask questions to the witness, simply because we are Republicans. His behavior is unacceptable and he continues to abuse his Chairmanship. Watch ???? pic.twitter.com/qm9Uj8tiHO
— Elise Stefanik (@EliseStefanik) November 15, 2019
How many times can Adam Schiff say “the Gentlewoman is NOT recognized”? He clearly has NO interest in letting Republicans have any say in the impeachment hearings. Watch him interrupt us multiple times and refuse to yield for our parliamentary questions???? pic.twitter.com/DnudgOe5Ed
— Elise Stefanik (@EliseStefanik) November 15, 2019
This is the argument being used to justify Schiff's actions. Keep in mind these rules were passed on a party line vote by Democrats.
For those curious about Rep. Stefanik not allowed to ask questions in this first round. H.Res. 660, which was adopted by the House and lays out rules for this hearing, makes clear who gets to ask questions during the first round. See next tweet for text of it.
— Jared Halpern (@JaredHalpern) November 15, 2019
And there's also this:
Like you guys wouldn't be yaaaas queening your content all over the web if she was muh squad.
— Stephen Miller (@redsteeze) November 15, 2019
Eventually, Stefanik was allowed to ask her questions.
Obama’s own State Dept. was so concerned about conflicts of interest from Hunter Biden’s role at Burisma that they raised it themselves while prepping the Ambassador for her confirmation. Yet our Democratic colleagues & Adam Schiff cry foul when we dare ask that same question. pic.twitter.com/jZ0UVItU3e
— Elise Stefanik (@EliseStefanik) November 15, 2019