Here's my take on the purpose of the GOPer SCIF Stunt.

[Claritie Pixie]

Knowing full well they didn't come up with this independent of Trump's involvement. They're followers.

On the surface, this stunt appears to be to disrupt and intimidate a witness. Both of those are valid. But...

...have to see it through the eyes of a narcissist.

At this moment in time, he isn't sure the GOP is united and in his corner. It's making him increasingly worried because they're all that's keeping him from being thrown out on his ass.

So he concocts a plan that a particularly unsavory group of House GOPers are all too eager to carry out.

The purpose? Prove to Trump they'll do whatever he says. It's the show of loyalty he absolutely requires. He told them to break the law in a very public way and they did.

Without saying a word, he's telling those GOPers who are quiet and not defending him, or criticizing him, that this is what he expects from them too.

That they will sacrifice themselves for him, or they will suffer his wrath.

Problem for him is that his wrath is getting weaker by the day.

[Mike 03]

1. Yes, Raw Story is reporting something similar to your theory.

It was a message from Republicans to Republicans who might weaken in their defense of Trump. But you actually put it better when you say, "Prove to Trump they'll do whatever he says. It's the show of loyalty he absolutely requires. He told them to break the law in a very public way and they did."

[2naSalit]

2. The actual zombie apocalypse...nt

[VarryOn]

3. Everyone of them should be arrested by nightfall...

DC needs to get serious about national security and classified info. These guys are the first ones to scream when someone is accused of leaking anything classified.

[abqtommy]

5. I agree to arrests and I'll throw in a very thorough cavity search.

[magicarpet]

6. Don't forget your to the elbow rubber gloves...

[yellowcanine]

8. Oh man I wouldn't inflict cavity searching Louie Gohmert on anybody.

Just sayin'.

[abqtommy]

10. Well, robots do have their uses...

[Skidmore]

4. Thirty some out of 190+?

No wonder Trump was delivering as frothing at the mouth tweet about Never Trumpers. No 100% compliance for storming the Bastille.

[Andy823]

7. I wonder

how much Russian money those thirty received in 2016?

[wiggs]

9. I think they want to accelerate the consequences. They want to bring this all to a head

because the longer inquiries go on, the longer the CI investigations go on, the longer the state investigations go on...the more bad news there will be. There will be impeachable offenses, maybe criminal offenses, coming up every week now.

[NNadir]

11. He's referred to members of his own party as, "Scum...

...of the Earth," forcing me to consider agreeing with him. I'm sure his endearing himself to all of them, especially the terminally stupid.

The full Republican party is holding itself up to International ridicule, going full Lindsay Graham and demonstrating a complete lack of integrity and self respect.

[Johnny2X2X]

12. It's a scary time for our Democracy

That they looked like fools isn't the point, this was chilling IMO. You had a few dozen angry men storming into a room and threatening people there who are conducting our Democracy.

People continue to underestimate the depravity of Trump and his followers. There is zero doubt in my mind that if he can get away with it, Trump will send armed people into the House to detain Democrats trying to continue this investigation. If he can get the military to do it, he will.