Dozens of House Republicans on Wednesday stormed the secure facility inside the Capitol where impeachment investigators have been deposing witnesses, forcing a delay to the proceedings on the heels of damning new revelations that could further imperil President Donald Trump.
The two sides were still trying to work through the standoff by the afternoon, with Republicans who do not sit on the committees leading the inquiry refusing to leave the Sensitive Compartmented Information Facility (SCIF) in the basement of the Capitol, and Democrats insisting those lawmakers had no right to be there.
According to people familiar with the matter, some GOP lawmakers brought their cell phones into the secure area — a significant violation of House rules. Another person said the room had to be fully swept for potential security breaches, and Democrats said the Republicans compromised national security by bringing electronics into a secure area.
Republicans said House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) was threatening GOP lawmakers with ethics violations. Schiff was also consulting with the House’s sergeant at arms, while Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense Laura Cooper — who appeared for her deposition Wednesday morning — was still waiting to testify behind closed doors.
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House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy appeared to excuse the lawmakers who brought their cell phones into the secure area, telling POLITICO: “These are individuals who have never been in Intel Committee before or anywhere else. So it’s nothing serious from that matter.”
Democrats were visibly frustrated and vowed that the Republican effort would not throw their impeachment inquiry off course. They said the stunt showed that Republicans were reeling from Tuesday’s testimony by William Taylor, the top American diplomat in Ukraine, who directly tied Trump to a quid pro quo with the eastern European nation involving critical military aid.
“It’s completely inappropriate. When the facts are against you, the law is against you, the president clearly committed a crime, you’re left with arguing the process,” said Rep. Harley Rouda (D-Calif.), who witnessed the chaos unfold behind closed doors.
Source: Impeachment deposition delayed after Republicans storm proceedings
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