MR. J0RDAN: Thank you, Mr. Cha'i rman. J ust f or the
record, on 0ctober 2nd,2019, the Speaker of the House, Nancy
Pelos'i , said that she would treat the President with
fai rness. Faj rness requi res certain things. Just a few
mi nutes that
this is
If
ago, the chairman of the Intel Committee
an offi ci aI impeachment i nqui ry.
it's an official impeachment inquiry, we
sa"id
should be
following precedent. Every recent impeachment has permitted
mi nori ty subpoenas. The ri ght of the mi nori ty to i ssue
subpoenas subject to the same rules as the majority has beenthe standard bi part'i san practi ce 'in all recent resoluti ons
authorizing presidential impeachment inqui ries. That is not
the case today, has not been the case since this, quote,
"offi ci al impeachment i nqui ry" began.
Democrats' failure to provide ranking members with equal
subpoena power shows thi s i s a parti san i nvesti gati on.
Second, Democrats have threatened witnesses who request
agency counsel to be present for the'ir transcribed jnterview
and/or deposition. State Department lawyers have a right to
protect executive branch j nterests, 'includi ng nat'iona1
security interests. Democrats have threatened to withhold
salaries of State Department officials who ask for the
presence of State Department lawyers in depositions.
I've been in countless number of depositions and/or
transcri bed i ntervj ews, thi s i s only the second one I 'Ve ever
seen where agency counsel was not permitted to be in the room
when a wltness was deposed or asked questions, the first waslast Thursday. The first witness as a part of this, quote,
"of f ic'ial impeachment inqui ry. " I
And, finally, fairness requires due process. The
President and minority should have the right to see all
evidence, both favorable and unfavorable. The President and
minority should have the ability to present evidence bearing
on the credibility of testifying witnesses. The President
and the minority shoutd have the abllity to raise objectionsrelati ng to exam'inati on of wi tnesses, and the admi ss'ibi f ity
of testimony and evidence. And the President and the
minority should have the ability to respond to all evidence
and testimony presented.
With that, I would fike to yield to my colleague from
the Forei gn Af f ai rs Comm'ittee, Mr. Zeldi n, f or a f ew i tems to
put on the record as wel1.
https://docs.house.gov/meetings/IG/IG00/CPRT-116-IG00-D003.pdf
(continued)