Heat but no light: First public impeachment hearing a dud

[mystery-ak]

Heat but no light: First public impeachment hearing a dud
by Thomas Jipping
 | November 13, 2019 04:42 PM

The first public hearing in the impeachment investigation of President Trump produced more heat than light.

House Democrats claim this impeachment process is identical to that used for Presidents Bill Clinton and Richard Nixon. This is a whopper, even for politicians. Take subpoena authority, one of the most important tools of any investigation. For Clinton and Nixon, the majority and minority had equal authority; if the other side did not cooperate, each could get permission from the committee. Today, the majority can subpoena unilaterally, but the minority must always get permission. One of these impeachments is not like the others.

Several things became apparent today. First, we saw why Democrats chose not to follow the less-partisan process used in past impeachments. Republicans asked Chairman Adam Schiff, D-California, when their request for the “whistleblower” to testify would be granted. He responded that they could later make a motion that the committee would decide. If you think Schiff’s committee will grant that request, I have some oceanfront property in Oklahoma to sell you.

more
https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/heat-but-no-light-first-public-impeachment-hearing-a-dud

[Snarknado]

Let's not forget the biggest difference of all from Nixon and Clinton - those hearings followed and relied on the results of exhaustive independent investigations. When Mueller showed that that won't work this time, we're left with a tyrannical hyper-partisan witch hunt bearing no resemblance whatsoever to earlier proceedings.

[mountaineer]

The Democrats bungled the first day of public impeachment hearings
By John Podhoretz
November 13, 2019 | 7:59pm

If Democrats think they advanced their case for impeachment with the first day of hearings into the Ukraine matter, they are deluding themselves. The proceedings were confusing, not clarifying.

Speaking as someone who has followed this matter in granular detail, I found it extremely difficult to tease out the set of undeniable facts that would prove Donald Trump did something so appalling he should be the first president in history to be removed from ­office and only the third to be impeached. And I ­assure you, I am willing to be convinced.

The problem is that the argument Democrats were presenting intertwined allegations of arguably impeachable misbehavior — the president blackmailing a foreign government with the leverage of foreign aid into helping him with a political favor — with complaints about the way the president conducts his foreign policy that have no place in an impeachment inquiry.  ...

Rest of editorial at NY Post

[mountaineer]

Goodwin: Adam Schiff’s dull impeachment hearings are a flop
By Michael Goodwin
November 13, 2019 | 10:21pm

Is that it? Is that all they’ve got?

Day One of impeachment was not exactly must-see TV. Sure, it was interesting and substantive at times, which would be compliments if this were a graduate school seminar about the lonely lives and confusing experiences of far-flung diplomats.

But this was a congressional hearing to determine whether to file charges against and ultimately remove the president of the United States. By that standard, the Adam Schiff show was a flop.

I would call it a sensational flop, except that would suggest a sense of drama the day never produced. A five-hour slog that doesn’t hit pay dirt or end up anywhere meaningful can’t be sensational.

The Schiff show was more of a quiet, methodical flop. Imagine a slow leak in a big balloon and you’ll get the picture. ...

Rest of editorial at NY Post

[Snarknado]

Schiff needs to call Mueller back in to liven things up...

[skeeter]

The Democrats bungled the first day of public impeachment hearings
By John Podhoretz
November 13, 2019 | 7:59pmRest of editorial at NY Post

And that was their best shot.

Of course the media will try to drum up some excitement in the next few days but will fail - if there was anything they could do to light a fire under this farce they would've trotted it out by now.

[Cyber Liberty]

Meanwhile, CNN's take is, "We Got 'im Now!!"  I won't link it, just go to cnn.com and see.

[Snarknado]

Meanwhile, CNN's take is, "We Got 'im Now!!"  I won't link it, just go to cnn.com and see.

Same on MSN - NEW REVELATIONS... STARTLING TESTIMONY FURTHER IMPLICATES...

Nothing about any actual hard evidence though, just the same old allegations...