WASHINGTON — Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley blasted Democrats Wednesday for shutting down a committee hearing Wednesday focused on Russian meddling in the 2016 election, particularly on the opposition research firm behind the infamous Trump dossier, Fusion GPS.
By deploying the Senate chamber’s two hour rule, the Democrats can keep committee meetings from happening beyond the first two hours of the upper chamber’s work day.
“Over the last few weeks, my Democrat colleagues have delayed and blocked Judiciary Committee hearings, shuttered a national security briefing and now cut off a hearing about interference in our political system by agents working for foreign powers,” Grassley said.
The hearing was expected to include witnesses: Deputy Assistant Attorney General Adam Hinckley, Assistant Director of the FBI Counter Intelligence Division E.W. “Bill” Priestap, Justice Department Inspector General Michael Horowitz, CEO of Hermitage Capital Management Mr. William Browder.
It is the third time the hearing was rescheduled over the Democrats’ procedural blocking. The hearing initially was scheduled on July 18 and was later moved to July 19. That date was rescinded and July 26 was scheduled after the two hour rule was invoked. The hearing is now scheduled for July 27.
“I don’t know if the minority is intentionally trying to block testimony that may be critical of a firm behind the unverified Trump dossier, but I’ll bet two bits that had Paul Manafort or Donald Trump, Jr. appeared at today’s hearing, it would not have been prematurely shut down. The Democrat leadership is playing politics, plain and simple. But our national security and our democratic systems are no game. So we will reconvene tomorrow to get more of the information we need,” Grassley added in his statement.