After learning today that the Democrat-led House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence will not allow Foreign Affairs Committee Republicans to have equal representation or the opportunity to question Kurt Volker at tomorrow's scheduled interview, Congressman Michael McCaul, Lead Republican on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, demanded HPSCI Chairman Adam Schiff allow Republicans and Democrats to participate on an equal playing field in their impeachment probe.
Lead Republican McCaul expressed concern to Chairman Eliot Engel that the Foreign Affairs Committee's oversight role over the State Department and the conduct of U.S. foreign policy has been usurped by another committee without jurisdiction.
Democrat staff on HPSCI informed the Foreign Affairs Committee that only one Republican staff member would be allowed to attend the transcribed interview of Kurt Volker, the former State Department Special Representative for Ukraine Negotiations, and would not be allowed to participate in questioning.
In the letter, McCaul wrote: "I was alarmed to learn - less than 24 hours before the first interview is scheduled to start - that it will be led by the Intelligence Committee and that questioning will be done solely by their staff. Also we were told that only a single Republican professional staffer from the Foreign Affairs Committee will be allowed to attend while the majority will have two. These constraints on committee and Republican participation are unacceptable and at odds with House Rules and general fairness. We demand equal representation and participation in this inquiry, there is too much at stake for America and Congress."
McCaul continued, "Individual committees may conduct oversight and investigations only pursuant to their general jurisdiction and authority under House Rules X and XI. Put simply, Intelligence Chairman Adam Schiff lacks the jurisdiction to investigate the Department of State's conduct of United States foreign policy toward Ukraine. That prerogative belongs to our Members."
On September 27, 2019, you and two other chairmen sent a letter to the Secretary of State claiming to "Schedule" without subpoena the depositions of five State Department officials to "Be conducted jointly by the Committee on Foreign Affairs, the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, and the Committee on Oversight and Reform." The stated subjects of the depositions - the conduct of U.S. relations with Ukraine, and U.S. security assistance to help Ukraine counter Russian aggression - are squarely within the Rule X jurisdiction of the Committee on Foreign Affairs.
These constraints on committee and Republican participation are unacceptable and at odds with House Rules and general fairness.
https://gop-foreignaffairs.house.gov/press-release/letter-mccaul-rejects-democrats-limitation-of-republican-involvement-in-volker-testimony-tomorrow/
Lead Republican McCaul expressed concern to Chairman Eliot Engel that the Foreign Affairs Committee's oversight role over the State Department and the conduct of U.S. foreign policy has been usurped by another committee without jurisdiction.
Democrat staff on HPSCI informed the Foreign Affairs Committee that only one Republican staff member would be allowed to attend the transcribed interview of Kurt Volker, the former State Department Special Representative for Ukraine Negotiations, and would not be allowed to participate in questioning.
In the letter, McCaul wrote: "I was alarmed to learn - less than 24 hours before the first interview is scheduled to start - that it will be led by the Intelligence Committee and that questioning will be done solely by their staff. Also we were told that only a single Republican professional staffer from the Foreign Affairs Committee will be allowed to attend while the majority will have two. These constraints on committee and Republican participation are unacceptable and at odds with House Rules and general fairness. We demand equal representation and participation in this inquiry, there is too much at stake for America and Congress."
McCaul continued, "Individual committees may conduct oversight and investigations only pursuant to their general jurisdiction and authority under House Rules X and XI. Put simply, Intelligence Chairman Adam Schiff lacks the jurisdiction to investigate the Department of State's conduct of United States foreign policy toward Ukraine. That prerogative belongs to our Members."
On September 27, 2019, you and two other chairmen sent a letter to the Secretary of State claiming to "Schedule" without subpoena the depositions of five State Department officials to "Be conducted jointly by the Committee on Foreign Affairs, the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, and the Committee on Oversight and Reform." The stated subjects of the depositions - the conduct of U.S. relations with Ukraine, and U.S. security assistance to help Ukraine counter Russian aggression - are squarely within the Rule X jurisdiction of the Committee on Foreign Affairs.
These constraints on committee and Republican participation are unacceptable and at odds with House Rules and general fairness.
https://gop-foreignaffairs.house.gov/press-release/letter-mccaul-rejects-democrats-limitation-of-republican-involvement-in-volker-testimony-tomorrow/
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