Collins swipes at Nadler: ‘Does the chairman even know what’s going on?’

Rep. Doug Collins (Ga.), the top Republican on the House Judiciary Committee, swiped at the panel’s chairman, Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-N.Y.), on Thursday as House Democrats indicated that they would move forward with drafting articles of impeachment against President Trump.

Collins tweeted that Nadler recently called for Republicans to provide a list of requested witnesses for the inquiry, but pointed to Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s (D-Calif.) press conference on Thursday morning to note that Democrats appear to be moving full steam ahead on impeachment.

“This week, Chairman Nadler told me to provide him with my witness list. But Pelosi’s press conference seemed to indicate we’re moving straight to articles of impeachment,” Collins wrote.

“Judiciary has jurisdiction over articles of impeachment, but does the chairman even know what’s going on?” he added.

This week, Chairman Nadler told me to provide him with my witness list.

But Pelosi’s press conference seemed to indicate we’re moving straight to articles of impeachment.

Judiciary has jurisdiction over articles of impeachment, but does the chairman even know what’s going on?

— Rep. Doug Collins (@RepDougCollins) December 5, 2019

Nadler had sent a letter to Collins on Nov. 29 asking the ranking member if he would like to issue any subpoenas or written questions for the impeachment probe, providing him until Dec. 6 — Friday — to provide the information.

A spokesperson for Judiciary Democrats did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The Republican’s jab came shortly after Pelosi announced she was asking the chairman to move forward with drafting articles of impeachment. The announcement came one day after the Judiciary Committee held its first impeachment hearing where three constitutional law experts invited by Democrats testified that Trump had committed impeachable offenses.

A fourth witness, George Washington University law professor Jonathan Turley, who was invited to testify by Republicans, claimed that it would be an “abuse of power” if Democrats moved forward to impeach Trump. Turley, who is also an opinion contributor to The Hill, used his opening statement to argue that impeachment would set a “dangerous precedent.”

Pelosi said in her address Thursday that Trump’s actions asking Ukraine to investigate former Vice President Joe Biden and the 2016 election “have seriously violated the Constitution.”

“Our democracy is at stake. The president leaves us no choice but to act. … Today, I am asking our chairman to proceed with articles of impeachment,” she said.

Democrats launched the formal inquiry into Trump this fall following allegations he abused his power and pressured Ukraine to launch an investigation into a political rival in exchange for aid.