Dec 9, 2019

GOP's House Intel counsel grilled by Democrats over impeachment report

Steve Castor, the counsel representing Republicans from the House Intelligence Committee, faced a tough line of questioning during Monday's hearing over their report's representation of witness testimony in the ongoing impeachment inquiry.

What happened: Barry Berke, the counsel for Democrats on the House Judiciary Committee, peppered Castor with questions about why the GOP report only stated that Jennifer Williams, an aide to Vice President Pence, said that President Trump's July 25 call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky was "unusual."

  • Williams also testified that the call was "inappropriate" and struck her as "political in nature," despite the GOP argument that Trump never meant to push for a foreign investigation of a domestic political opponent.
  • "Were you as fair to the American people in describing what Ms. Williams said as you were in describing everything else in your report?" Berke asked.

The big picture: The exchange also featured the parliamentary wrangling by House Judiciary Republicans that has occurred throughout Monday's hearing — with some minority members of the committee arguing that Berke was badgering Castor.

Go deeper: Live updates from today's evidentiary impeachment hearing

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