OPINION:
Poor Adam Schiff.
The House Intelligence Committee chairman, in kicking off Day Two of impeachment hearings, was trying to maintain a show of law and order and professionalism and such and such — but Reps. Jim Jordan and Elise Stefanik kept interrupting him with calls for points of order.
It was like Day One all over again.
This was Stefanik, Day One: “Mr. Chairman, before we hear from the witnesses, I have a parliamentary inquiry … Mr. Chairman, when can we anticipate a response to our November 9 letter requesting certain individual witnesses to be called.”
Schiff ducked and dodged, and answered that three of the witnesses requested by Republicans were scheduled to give testimony next week. But Stefanik wasn’t having any of it.
“Those were your witnesses, Mr. Chairman,” she said. “What about the additional six witnesses?”
Umm.
“Umm,” began Schiff.
Let the records reflect: Schiff replied “umm.”
Day Two opened with more of the rocking, rolling, hilarious same.
Schiff, after introducing Marie Yovanovitch, former U.S. ambassador to Ukraine, and after reading what was supposed to be her impressive credentials — for the rapt undecideds among the watching, voting audience, you see — and after being torn a new one by Rep. Devin Nunes, who ticked off a list of ways, of many, many ways the Democrats have tipped their partisan, political, hateful hats in this impeachment process — well Schiff started to show signs of stress.
First came Stefanik with her “point of order” and call for clarification on the witness list.
Then came Jordan with his “point of order” — make that repeated “points of order.”
Schiff kept shutting him down. Schiff kept striking his gavel. And Jordan kept calling for “point of order.”
Never mind the search for high crimes and misdemeanors.
This is high political theater and drama at its best.
And into Schiff’s voice crept a little bit of tension; into his eyes, slipped a wider ring of white. Crack, crack, the facade of impeachment continues to crumble.
• Cheryl Chumley can be reached at cchumley@washingtontimes.com or on Twitter, @ckchumley.
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