We dont know how they were using this money is not factually true. You heard mcclk chin tok saying he had the mcclintock saying that he had the prosecutor fired. Yet those talking points are respited despite the fact theyre not based on fact. Its an important moment. I want to get your sense of the history of what were about to see. You see the members showing up, the staff, theyre showing up. The witnesses will be there. Theyll be sworn in as well. Its a moment that doesnt happen very often if american history. It doesnt and it shouldnt. Because its so important you think about the the way constitution set up our democratic structure here and were looking back right now to say what did the founded fathers envision about the country that we are now in . What did the separation of powers mean . Are there truly three coequal
branches of government or can one thumb their nose that leads to an authoritarian regime . We are looking at a very historic moment. Looking at what the power of con
American peoples money on this impeachment, theres so many other important things that are going undone. Within this committees own jurisdiction, we should be addressing the opioid epidemic. We could be working together to find a solution to our immigration and asylum challenges on our southern border. We could be protecting americans from having their intellectual property and jobs stolen by chinese companies. And we could be enhancing Election Security just to name a few things. And congress as a whole could be working on rebuilding our crumbling infrastructure. Providing additional tax relief to the nations middleclass families and providing additional security to our people here at home and abroad. Instead, here we are spinning our wheels once again on impeachment. What a waste. The American People deserve so much better. I yield back. Gentleman yields back. Mr. Cohen. Thank you, mr. Chair. I take no pleasure in the fact that were here today. As a patriot who loves america, it pain
Country. The administration has worked with the Committee Staff to observe 11 cpb holding facilities, 13 i. C. E. Detention facilities and six state licensed that contract. Good evening, im Chris Matthews in washington where tonight were watching history in the making as the House Judiciary Committee debates articles of impeachment against donald trump. Votes are expected to take place any moment now. Lets listen in. The committee threatened witnesses that and i quote, any failure to appear, any failure to appear in response to a mere letter requesting their presence for a deposition shall and i quote constitute evidence of obstruction. This is just letters, not subpoenas. In letters to the State Department employees, the committee threatened to witnesses that if they insist on
having Agency Counsel present to protect the Executive Branch in their Confidentiality Interests or if they make any effort to protect Confidentiality Interests at all, these officials would have their salaries
Says, you can go to work. Its important to remember that the facts are clear. No president has ever, ever obstruct the congress in the manner that we have seen from President Trump. Will the Gentleman Yield . In a moment. Its always important to make sure that the facts are clear and that we dont muddy the waters by suggesting something that is so unprecedented that we have never before in the history of our country, just somehow part and parcel of the way things work around here. They dont. We know it and our Friends On The Other Side of the aisle know it. The American People know it, but mr. Johnson is right, sometimes its important to remind them of that. Will the Gentleman Yield for questions . I just wanted a postscript to underscore the very important
point that mr. Deutsch is making here. Article one of the constitution, that gives representatives the sole power of impeachment. That gives the senate the sole power of trial. United states versus nixon, the Supreme Court emphasize
Whatwe that means, its to use e power of the office to obtain an improper personal benefit while ignoring orfi injuring the national interest, or acts in ways that are grossly inconsistent with and undermine the separation of powers that is the foundation of our democratic system. Now, this question of whether the president engaged in abuse of power came up before when this congress considered the impeachment of president nixon. And president nixon famously said, if the president does it, it is notde illegal. And this body rejected that because thats not so. That goes directly contrary to what the founders said. But President Trump has said the same thing in responding to the prior investigation by the Department Of Justice and defending his conduct. Heres what he said. I have an article 2 where i have the right to do whatever i want as president. That he has the right to do whatever he wants as president. That is as wrong as when president nixon said a similar thing. That is not what