Republican commentator David Urban said Sunday that there would be no point in President Donald Trump participating in the House Judiciary Committee’s upcoming impeachment hearings.
Urban, who was part of a panel discussion on CNN’s “State of the Union,” argued that things were already decided in the House and that there is no point in the president agreeing to participate until things moved into the Senate.
WATCH:
Citing a recent call from House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerry Nadler, who issued a deadline to Republicans for their participation in the coming hearings, guest host Dana Bash asked the panel whether they were likely to jump at the chance. “[Trump] has to inform Congress this week whether his lawyers will participate. Let’s discuss with our amazing panel. David Urban, will they or won’t they?”
“I would bet they will not,” Urban replied. (RELATED: ‘I’m Defending The Truth’: CNN Panel Blows Up Over Trump’s Ukraine Call)
“Good move or not?” Bash prompted.
“I think it is a great move. So several things. First of all, there is a hearing on Wednesday and nobody knows who is showing up. We don’t know who the witnesses are. So why would you participate in a hearing that you don’t even know who the witnesses are?” Urban asked. “Number two, I think it is best in their best interest to wait until the actual trial. This is a foregone conclusion what is happening in the House. And I think if you’re going to send your lawyers up, you wait until it gets to the Senate until there is a hearing.”
Democratic strategist Hillary Rosen suggested that refusing to participate could help create another potential article of impeachment. “The president not contributing in the process and continuing to stonewall the Judiciary Committee, not giving documents and testimony and not participating in the process … you might just get some members of Congress who think, you know what, this might not rise to the level of impeachment, what he did with Ukraine — I disagree but they may say that — but it is impossible for them not to say he’s obstructing the process.”
“I say the cake is baked,” Urban shot back, and Republican strategist Doug Heye agreed.
“Donald Trump is going to defend himself ,but most likely not in the form Democrats use. He will defend himself on Twitter and pool sprays and gaggles and at rallies and we’ll hear no shortage of words from Trump whatever they may be,” Heye added.