Rep. Gaetz: “Schiff and the Radical Dems Now Active Participants in the Coup”

The news of Gaetz being forced to leave the meeting has made big headlines and stirred the pot about the Democrats' real motives and handling of the impeachment inquiry against President Trump.

Following being kicked out of the meeting, Gaetz also called out the Dems numerous more times on Twitter, voicing his concern about them "stacking the deck":

The Hill has more to say about Gaetz's response to being kicked out of the meeting by "Schifty" Schiff:

While the House Judiciary Committee had led the charge in the Democrats' investigation of Russian election interference, three different committees — Intelligence, Oversight and Foreign Affairs — have taken the baton since the focus has shifted to questions surrounding Trump's dealings with Ukraine.

Gaetz, a Judiciary Committee member, argued that not being on the panels leading the inquiry should not preclude him from sitting in on Hill's testimony.

"If Adam Schiff and House Democrats were so proud of their work, they would be willing to show it," he said.

"It's even more troubling when we look at the selective leaks from Adam Schiff, where information will be taken out of context and provided to the press,” he continued.

“If Democrats really are trying to build a legitimate case, they would use legitimate tools. They would hold a vote on the House floor to establish procedures,” he added. “But we continue to see this as the sham and the charade that it is."

Trump and House Republicans have urged Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) to stage a floor vote to formally launch their impeachment inquiry. Without that vote, Gaetz said on Monday, "there are no rules" to guide the process.

"In the absence of any rules the House Democrats have adopted, I found it only reasonable to look at prior precedent on impeachment," he said, noting that the Judiciary Committee has taken the lead on the country’s most recent impeachment proceedings. "It's not like I'm on the Agriculture Committee. I'm on a committee that has jurisdiction over impeachment, and I'm not able to participate.”

An official working on the impeachment inquiry told The Hill in an email that only members of the three panels working on the investigation are allowed to participate, according to the House rules and the chamber's deposition regulations.  

The official said that Gaetz tried to attend the deposition even though he is not on these committees, and that his refusal to leave delayed the deposition. The person confirmed that Gaetz left after a ruling from the parliamentarian’s office.

In tweets on the matter, Gaetz echoed Trump's rhetoric on the impeachment inquiry, calling it a "coup" and a “hoax.”

“Chairman Schiff and the radical democrats are now active participants in the coup. To exclude Members of Congress from hearings confirms the American people’s suspicions: this is not a legitimate ‘impeachment inquiry’ — it is a charade.” he wrote.

“Chairman Schiff and Speaker Pelosi are equally complicit in hiding and obfuscating the truth,” he added, referring to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.). “Blocking Members of Congress from attending "impeachment" hearings is not only unfair, it runs counter to our Democracy.”

“The perpetrators of this impeachment hoax must be held accountable — both by the Congress, and by the American people,” Gaetz continued. 

Breitbart added:

The Democrat chairman of the House intelligence panel pursuing the impeachment probe booted Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) out of a private interview Monday with the top former U.S. National Security Council expert on Russia, Fiona Hill.

Irked by the move, Gaetz, a member of the House Judiciary Committee, told reporters, “It’s not like I’m on [the House panel on] agriculture,” Gaetz said. “What are the Democrats so afraid of?”

The Florida Republican added:

I appeared just to participate, just to observe as a member of Congress, as a member of the Judiciary Committee… Why is [House Intelligence Committee Chairman] Adam Schiff [D-CA] trying to run a kangaroo court? Why is he continuing to limit access to evidence, limit access even from members of Congress?

Rep. @mattgaetz: "I appeared just to participate, just to observe as a member of Congress, as a member of the Judiciary Committee… Why is Adam Schiff trying to run a kangaroo court? Why is he continuing to limit access to evidence, limit access even from members of Congress?" pic.twitter.com/J67OYnk9L7

— The Hill (@thehill) October 14, 2019

Gaetz noted that House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerry Nadler (D-NY) was allowed to play a role in the impeachment probe.

Fox News reported:

Gaetz, who sits on the House Judiciary Committee, attempted to attend the testimony of Fiona Hill, a former deputy assistant to the president, but was told that because he was not a member of the House Intelligence Committee that he had to leave. The House Intelligence, Oversight and Foreign Affairs committees are conducting the impeachment inquiry into Trump.

A frustrated Gaetz aired his disappointment to reporters after being told he was not allowed to sit in on the hearing, venting his anger over what he says are “selective leaks” by House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff, D-Calif., and questioning why he was not allowed to be present during Hill’s testimony. Gaetz added that the chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, Rep. Jerry Nadler, D-N.Y., was involved in the impeachment inquiry.

Gaetz also expressed his frustration over being kicked out of Hill’s testimony via Twitter, saying:

Chairman Schiff and the radical democrats are now active participants in the coup. To exclude Members of Congress from hearings confirms the American people’s suspicions: this is not a legitimate “impeachment inquiry” — it is a charade.