judiciary committee as staff lawyer as well. >> all of the above. and i've never seen a witness that -- again, we are in a partisan environment, this is democrats and republicans, it's divided government, and certainly, you know, there's always going to be a tension between the executive branch and the legislative. but this is pretty remarkable. >> joyce, your reactions as well, one republican, louie gohmert, was asking the acting attorney general about some comments he had made about the border. and he said he wasn't familiar with that speech. well, it wasn't a speech, it was part of the opening statement that he read to this committee this very day. >> you know, whitaker's demeanor makes it clear that he's not interested in answering questions. he's just hoping that he can somehow survive this untarnished. so he's making that sort of careless, sloppy mistake, not acknowledging his own opening statement, looking incredibly grateful to be saved by the five-minute bell, and it's clear that nothing of substance will happen here. and that's a shame, because this