'No House vote needed': Judiciary Democrats approve rules for 'impeachment inquiry'

The House Judiciary Committee approved a resolution for investigative procedures Democrats will use to determine whether to recommend impeaching President Trump.

Committee Chairman Jerry Nadler has cast the vote on the resolution, which passed 24-17, as a formal step in the impeachment process even though the House has not voted to approve a formal impeachment inquiry.

The New York Democrat said Thursday his panel is formally conducting an impeachment inquiry and that no House vote is needed.

“There is no House rule requiring the House take a full vote,” Nadler said. “In light of this precedent the committee has made clear it has full authority to conduct its investigation as to whether to recommend articles of impeachment.”

The resolution passed along party lines and will provide additional rules for upcoming hearings Democrats plan to use to investigate President Trump’s 2016 campaign, his personal business and actions in his administration.

The rules will provide more time to question witnesses, hold closed-door proceedings and allow Trump lawyers to respond to the committee findings in writing. 

A hearing about whether the president tried to obstruct the special counsel probe is scheduled for Sept. 17 with former Trump 2016 campaign manager Cory Lewandowski.

“Some call this process an impeachment inquiry. Some call it an impeachment investigation,” Nadler said. “There is no legal difference between these terms, and I no longer care to argue about the nomenclature.”

Nadler pointed out some examples of impeachment inquiries that proceeded without a full vote, including a probe of former IRS Commissioner John Koskinen.

Democrats rejected several GOP amendments, including one that would prohibit committee staff from questioning the witnesses and limit it to lawmakers.

The rule will allow the lawyers for Republicans and Democrats to question witnesses for up to a half-hour each. Republicans said the questioning should not be relegated to staff.

“The constituents in each of the districts we represent can judge whether their member is acting responsibly and in their best interest, not the unelected staff,” Rep. F. James Sensenbrenner Jr., R-Wis., the former panel chairman, said.

Republicans on the panel hammered Nadler’s impeachment strategy and accused Democrats of disguising their investigation as impeachment even though they lack the votes to win approval on the House floor.

Rep. Matt Gaetz, a Florida Republican, called the tactic “impeachment in drag,”

Pennsylvania Rep. Guy Reschenthaler called the resolution "more smoke and mirrors so you can appease the far left."

The Judiciary Committee's ranking Republican member, Rep. Doug Collins of Georgia, accused Democrats of dodging a House vote on impeachment because it would not pass. Polls show most voters do not support impeaching Trump.

“Let’s deal in reality,” Collins said. “At least acknowledge there is a reason this is not a formal impeachment inquiry. There is a reason why the House set this up.”

https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/congress/no-house-vote-needed-judiciary-democrats-approve-rules-for-impeachment-inquiry