Too many of the Democrats' questions concerned process rather than the substance of the whistleblower’s complaint
HAVING SPENT the first nine months of her speakership applying the brakes, Nancy Pelosi seems to have found the throttle. On September 23rd she announced the House was beginning impeachment proceedings against President Donald Trump for allegedly soliciting Ukraine’s government for dirt on Joe Biden, the Democratic front-runner, and his son Hunter, who sat on the board of a Ukrainian energy firm.
The whistleblower also accuses Rudolph Giuliani, one of the president’s personal lawyers, and Mr Barr, who as attorney-general is not supposed to act like one of the president’s personal lawyers, of complicity in this effort. Mr Giuliani was apparently so zealous in his efforts that American ambassadors spoke to him to try to “contain the damage” he was doing to American national security.
That background provided a target-rich environment for Democrats questioning Mr Maguire. Their aim, though, was appalling; too many of their questions concerned process rather than the substance of the whistleblower’s complaint. That is partly understandable. Adam Schiff, the committee chair, believed that Mr Maguire’s failure to deliver the whistleblower’s complaint to Congress violated the law.
Mr Maguire, a 36-year Navy veteran, has devoted his life to public service; he came off as a straight shooter caught in a difficult situation. He declined to be drawn by either side into making political judgments. The Democrats’ obsession with process made them seem petty and small. Not until Mr Schiff’s final round of questions did the Democrats land a blow against the administration.
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