House Democrats on Tuesday unveiled a resolution for the forthcoming “public phase” of the impeachment inquiry that would essentially hand House Intelligence Committee Chairman Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA) the steering wheel. Under the outlined procedures, Schiff would have the ability to organize extended questioning of potential public witnesses that would all take place in front of the intelligence committee. The resolution focuses the public questioning solely under the intelligence committee, as opposed to the three committees—which include Foreign Affairs, and Oversight and Reform—that are conducting closed-door questioning.
The resolution appears to be in response to complaints from Republicans to make the impeachment inquiry more open, and for rules to be set regarding the inquiry’s latitudes before moving forward into the public phase. The new procedures would also allow House Republicans to make their own requests for testimony and documents—though those requests would ultimately be subject to a vote of the Democratic-majority committee. Lawmakers are expected to formalize the new procedures with a vote on Thursday.
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