Republican lawmakers on Thursday rallied following the House Intelligence Committee’s release of the “whistleblower” complaint, ripping the committee’s Chairman Adam Schiff (D-CA). The GOP dismissed the complaint as more “second-hand gossip,” and said it confirmed the absence of quid pro quo or a legitimate crime.
The House Intelligence Committee released the “whistleblower’s” complaint ahead of Acting Director of National Intelligence (DNI) Joseph Maguire’s testimony before the committee. Schiff opened the hearing with a dramatized version of the conversation between President Trump and Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky. Schiff’s opening statement drew the ire of Republican lawmakers, including Rep. Brad Wenstrup (R-OH), who slammed Schiff’s parody.
The complaint, as well as the transcript itself, drew further reactions from Republicans across the board, who ripped Democrats for relying on “second-hand gossip” in their attempts to take down the president.
“We have a full transcript of the call between @realDonaldTrump and President Zelensky, yet Adam Schiff opens the Whistleblower hearing with a total embellishment of what was actually said,” Rep. Ralph Norman (R-SC) wrote.
“How stupid does he think the American people are?” Norman continued:
“It is disturbing and outrageous that Chairman of the House Intelligence Committee Adam Schiff opens up a hearing of this importance with improvised fake dialogue between President Trump and President Zelenskyy,” Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-NY) wrote:
“We should focus on the facts,” she added:
“UKRAINE WHISTLEBLOWER REPORT IS PUBLIC!” Rep. Mo Brooks (R-AL) wrote in all caps. “It is ALL rumor, gossip, hearsay. NO PERSONAL KNOWLEDGE OR EVIDENCE OF ANYTHING! I recommend reading it.”
“In the alternative, a picture is worth a thousand words, so here is a picture that fully describes the whistleblower & his report,” he added, alongside a photo of animal waste:
“Lost in all of the Ukraine controversy: this is such an egregious breach of trust with the IC. How can a President exercise his constitutional duties if his calls are being politically leaked?” Freedom Caucus Chairman Mark Meadows (R-NC) asked.
“How can foreign leaders trust us if they know this could happen? It is appalling,” Meadows added:
Meadows also pointed out that the “whistleblower” complaint is based on nothing more than “hearsay.” Because of that “there’s no reason to view this leaked call as anything other than a continued effort from within to undermine both POTUS and an imminent FISA IG report, expected to be damning toward the Intel Community,” Meadows concluded:
“‘Whistleblower’? To something they haven’t witnessed first-hand?” Rep. Jody Hice (R-GA) asked. “More like a rogue, self-appointed private eye scooping up second-hand gossip and reading public news articles.”
“No quid pro quo, no crimes. @realDonaldTrump didn’t break any laws,” Hice added. “@RepAdamSchiff is a disgrace”:
Rep. Lee Zeldin (R-NY) concurred, adding, “As expected, it is hearsay without first hand knowledge & isn’t impeachable regardless.”
“This entire scene in Congress has been a one way express ticket to crazy town,” he added:
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