In an attempt to force House Democrats to hold public hearings for their impeachment investigation, Republican members staged a sit-in in the hearing room and delayed the process for five hours. But the “journalists” in the liberal media were appalled by the idea of transparency for Democrats. ABC, CBS, and NBC attacked and smeared the GOP lawmakers during their Wednesday evening newscasts.
CBS Evening News was the most furious. Critically failing anchor Norah O’Donnell kicked off the opening tease in a panic, declaring, “Chaos at the Capitol! Rogue Republicans crash the impeachment inquiry delaying a top defense official's testimony. Democrats call in the sergeant at arms to break up the protest.”
After the teases, O’Donnell began by informing viewers their first segment would be about the “dramatic sideshow” put on Republicans. “As if on cue, following President Trump's orders yesterday for Republicans to get tougher on impeachment, a group of Republicans barged into a closed-door hearing today,” she chided.
CBS congressional correspondent Nancy Cordes tried to argue that Republicans held closed-door hearings while they were investigating Benghazi, but GOP Rep. Bradley Byrne (AL) schooled her:
CORDES: Closed-door hearings on Capitol Hill are not unusual. The Republican-led Benghazi committee did several. How is this different from that situation?
REP. BRADLEY BYRNE (R-AL): This is impeachment of the president of the United States. It's a different thing altogether. When--when we're talking about removing the president from office, it should be completely transparent.
She even elevated radical Democrat Ted Lieu (CA), who claimed the demand for transparency was “insane.”
The networks used to be all for dramatic sit-ins that disrupted the business of Congress. But in those days it was to support the Democrats. When the left demanded gun control in 2016, all three networks praised their sit-in on the House floor. “And as funerals continue for the 49 who were murdered, Democrats today seized the floor of the House of Representatives, demanding that the Republican majority allow a vote on gun control,” stated then-CBS anchor Scott Pelley, trying to shame the opposition.
Meanwhile on ABC’s World News Tonight, congressional correspondent Mary Bruce whined that “House Republicans tried to grind the impeachment inquiry to a halt.” Adding: “President Trump has been urging Republicans to get tougher. Many of the members protesting today met with him last night. Today's hearing delayed nearly five hours.”
NBC Nightly News anchor Lester Holt claimed the “wild scene” was just a stunt by Republicans “to steal back the headlines today” by “storming the hearing room in mass and criticizing the process of the inquiry itself as unfair.”
“Chaos in the Capitol, more than two dozen House Republicans staging a protest today bargaining into a secure room where impeachment investigators were deposing their latest witness,” proclaimed White House correspondent Peter Alexander, echoing O’Donnell.
Alexander even argued on behalf of Democrats, complaining, “those Republicans were violating House rules that say only Republicans and Democrats on three key committees are allowed inside. Democrats slamming it as a political stunt.”
But back during the Democrat sit-in for gun control, Alexander decried when Republicans followed House rules and had the cameras turned off. “Republicans in retreat, forced to go into recess, cameras showing the protest turned off. Those cameras controlled by the Republican House Speaker,” he bemoaned at the time. Liberal media hypocrisy at its finest.
Help fight against the liberal media's impeachment crusade
ABC’s World News Tonight
October 23, 2019
6:31:47 p.m. EasternDAVID MUIR: And we begin tonight with the drama playing out on the hill. The confrontation that came just one day after what may have been the most damaging testimony yet against President Trump.
Tonight, even a leading Republican senator now saying the picture coming out is not a good one. And just today, the Pentagon official overseeing Ukraine policy, Laura cooper there, arriving to testify. But was stopped before she could even start when several House Republicans showed up, stormed the room and made their demands.
ABC's Mary Bruce with the images tonight. Another day of drama on the hill.
[Cuts to video]
MARY BRUCE: One day after the most explosive testimony yet, House Republicans tried to grind the impeachment inquiry to a halt.
REP. MATTHEW GAETZ (R-FL): We're going to go and see if we can get inside.
BRUCE: The President's allies on the hill forcing their way into the secure room in the basement of the Capitol where lawmakers of both parties were trying to question a top Pentagon official for Ukraine and Russia.
REP. MO BROOKS (R-AL): By golly, if they're going to do it, do it in public. Don't hide it from the American people.
BRUCE: President Trump has been urging Republicans to get tougher. Many of the members protesting today met with him last night. Today's hearing delayed nearly five hours.
REP. DAVID CICILLNE (D-RI): This is an effort to please the president, to try to shut down the process. [Transition] It's a stunt.
BRUCE: It comes 24 hours after the top U.S. diplomat in Ukraine, Bill Taylor, delivered stunning testimony.
(…)
CBS Evening News
October 23, 2019
6:30:18 p.m. Eastern [Tease]NORAH O’DONNELL: Tonight, chaos at the Capitol. Rogue Republicans crash the impeachment inquiry delaying a top defense official's testimony. Democrats call in the sergeant at arms to break up the protest.
(…)
6:31:41 p.m. Eastern
O’DONNELL: Good evening. And thank you so much for joining us. We're going to begin with a dramatic sideshow today at the impeachment inquiry. As if on cue, following President Trump's orders yesterday for Republicans to get tougher on impeachment, a group of Republicans barged into a closed-door hearing today. Most were not members of the committees conducting the inquiry and were, therefore, uninvited.
But Republicans who are on the committees have been taking part in these closed-door hearings. Democrats saw the protest as merely a delay to protect the President against mounting evidence of misconduct. So they pressed on, questioning Laura cooper, a senior defense department official who oversees Ukraine policy.
Her testimony came a day after a top U.S. diplomat testified that he was told that the President withheld military aid to Ukraine unless Ukraine's president went public with the promise to investigate Democrats. Now, that is the quid pro quo that the President has been denying. Nancy Cordes has more on this day of political theater on Capitol Hill.
[Cuts to video]
REP. MATTHEW GAETZ (R-FL): We want to know what's going on.
NANCY CORDES: They stage their revolt in the basement of the U.S. Capitol.
UNIDENTIFIED: We're going in.
CORDES: More than two dozen House Republicans stormed a secure area and refused to leave a scheduled deposition.
REP. MO BROOKS (R-AL): By golly, if they're going to do it, do it in public!
CORDES: One member broadcasting the rebellion from behind closed doors.
REP. ALEX MOONEY (R-WV): We've been here for hours. By now, all the Democrat members have left.
REP. TED LIEU (D-CA): What the Republicans are asking for is insane.
CORDES: The sit-in delayed the testimony of Pentagon official Laura Cooper by five hours, the eighth private interview by Democrats and Republicans on the three committees currently handling the impeachment inquiry.
(…)
CORDES: Closed-door hearings on Capitol Hill are not unusual. The Republican-led Benghazi committee did several.
How is this different from that situation?
REP. BRADLEY BYRNE (R-AL): This is impeachment of the president of the United States. It's a different thing altogether. When--when we're talking about removing the president from office, it should be completely transparent.
(…)
NBC Nightly News
October 23, 2019
7:01: 46 p.m. EasternLESTER HOLT: Good evening. There was a wild scene at the U.S. Capitol today a day after a star witness in the impeachment inquiry contradicted President Trump’s no quid pro quo claims over aid to Ukraine. House Republicans did their best to steal back the headlines today storming the hearing room in mass and criticizing the process of the inquiry itself as unfair.
Also today, President Trump continued his scorched-earth approach to those who speak against him including that top American diplomat to Ukraine who delivered yesterday's bombshell. Our Peter Alexander now with the latest.
[Cuts to video]
REP. MATTHEW GAETZ (R-FL): We're going to go and see if we can get inside.
PETER ALEXANDER: Chaos in the Capitol, more than two dozen House Republicans staging a protest today bargaining into a secure room where impeachment investigators were deposing their latest witness. Those Republicans blasting House Democrats for holding hearings in private with no transcripts made public.
REP. STEVE SCALISE (R-LA): What is Adam Schiff trying to hide? [Transition] voting members of Congress are being denied access from being able to see what’s happening behind these closed doors where they’re trying to impeach the President of the United States with a one-sided set of rules.
ALEXANDER: But those Republicans were violating House rules that say only Republicans and Democrats on three key committees are allowed inside. Democrats slamming it as a political stunt.
REP. ADAM SCHIFF (D-CA): The President enlisted allies on the hill to see what they can do to stop witnesses but we will go forward with the testimony.
(…)
