Juan Williams: Dems giving Trump 'what he asked for' with public impeachment hearings
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Following a contentious House vote to approve a resolution setting the rules for the impeachment inquiry into President Trump, Fox News contributor Juan Williams told “America’s Newsroom” on Thursday that the president and Republicans will now get what they asked for.
“From the Democrats' perspective, they're giving the president what he asked for. ... Republicans have asked for this. Republicans said, ‘We’re sick and tired of closed-door depositions, hearings, whatever is going on,” Williams said.
HOUSE APPROVES IMPEACHMENT INQUIRY RULES AFTER FIERY FLOOR DEBATE
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The House voted Thursday to approve a resolution setting "ground rules" for the impeachment inquiry into Trump, putting lawmakers on record over the contentious process while setting the stage for proceedings to move into the public eye after weeks of closed-door depositions.
The measure passed largely along party lines, 232-196. Two Democrats defected on the vote.
No Republicans voted for the measure on Thursday, while two Democrats voted against it: Reps. Jeff Van Drew, D-N.J., and Collin Peterson, D-Minn.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Republicans for weeks had challenged Pelosi to hold a floor vote, complaining the inquiry hasn’t followed past precedent and violates the president’s due process rights.
REPUBLICANS ON IMPEACHMENT COMMITTEES RIP 'SHAM' PROCESS AHEAD OF VOTE
The resolution directs the House Intelligence, Foreign Affairs, Financial Services, Judiciary, and Ways and Means committees to “continue their ongoing investigations as part of the existing House of Representatives inquiry into whether sufficient grounds exist for the House of Representatives to exercise its constitutional power to impeach Donald John Trump.”
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The Democrats’ resolution specifies that Republicans in the minority on the Judiciary and Intelligence committees will have the authority, with the concurrence of committee chairs in the majority, to subpoena witnesses and compel their testimony.
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Williams said that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., is following the rules on the impeachment process and meeting Republicans' demands.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}He said many of the Democrats' base voters believe Pelosi should have been "more aggressive in going at, what they see, as a rogue president."
Fox News’ Brooke Singman contributed to this report.