The top Republican on the House Judiciary Committee on Monday blasted Democrats for rushing into new impeachment hearings without providing the evidence or details about the proceedings.
“For the first time in history, this committee will weigh impeachment without any evidence for us to review,” Rep. Doug Collins, Georgia Republican, wrote to the committee’s Democratic chairman, Rep. Jarrold L. Nadler of New York.
The committee, which is charged with writing articles of impeachment, is scheduled to hold a hearing Wednesday to explore grounds for the removal of President Trump from office.
Mr. Collins balked at the process moving forward before members see a report from Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam B. Schiff, who to this point has spearheaded the impeachment inquiry.
“We do not have the Schiff Report,” Mr. Collins wrote. “We do not have any underlying materials to the Schiff Report. We do not know of any hearings other than one of academics and possibly a presentation by Chairman Schiff’s committee.”
The Intelligence Committee conducted the probe for more than a month and held two weeks of public hearings. The committee is expected to review a draft of the report Monday and vote Tuesday to send it to the Judiciary Committee.
“Any discussion with the yet-to-be-identified witnesses will, therefore, be in the abstract,” said Mr. Collins.
He demanded clarity on how the inquiry will proceed.
“As Republicans have stated before, and consistent with Chairman Schiff’s repeated statements, withholding information from the minority shall constitute evidence of your denial of fundamental fairness and due process, as well as obstruction of minority rights,” he said.
He said he was “ready to engage” with Mr. Nadler and asked for a speedy response.
• S.A. Miller can be reached at smiller@washingtontimes.com.
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