Hoyer backpedals after contradicting Nadler on impeachment probe

[brooklynite]

Source: Politico

House Democratic leaders still can’t get their impeachment messaging straight.

House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) on Wednesday backtracked after saying Democrats were not conducting an “impeachment inquiry,” a remark that directly contradicted top House investigators and further sowed confusion about Democrats’ strategy.

The No. 2 Democrat later released a statement that said he misunderstood a question from reporters, shortly after he told reporters that he did not believe the House was conducting an impeachment investigation — a direct refutation of the language in the House’s own court cases against President Donald Trump, and one that senior Democrats fear could hurt their standing with the federal judiciary.

“I thought the question was in regards to whether the full House is actively considering articles of impeachment, which we are not at this time," Hoyer wrote in a statement.

Read more: https://www.politico.com/story/2019/09/11/hoyer-nadler-impeachment-1489506

[dweller]

1. try doing it in heels, Steny ...

✌🏼

[Desert Dem]

2. Geez, Steny...

maybe it’s time to pass the torch.

[KY_EnviroGuy]

3. Help can be had for hearing loss, Steny.

KY...........

[Evolve Dammit]

4. Spineless. Always was.

[tikka]

5. He doesn't seem to be with the program

Not the person I would want to be the No. 2 Democrat

[BeyondGeography]

6. Comical

[FBaggins]

7. That hurts more than it helps

All of this noise is about the committee trying to convince the courts to rule in their favor (enforcing subpoenas, holding witnesses in contempt, getting access to grand jury content, etc.). Many of their claims are based on the constitutional prerogatives of the House in regards to impeachments. That their inquiry/investigation/proceedings/whatever should qualify for treatment under those prerogatives.

The problem here is that the committee has none of those powers in and of themselves. They have to convince the courts that the House is considering impeachment... and the #2 Democratic leader just blew that out of the water.