House Democrats release impeachment inquiry resolution

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House Democrats release impeachment inquiry resolution

Trump defends Ukraine call as Democrats ramp up efforts; reaction and analysis from the 'Special Report' All-Star panel.

This is a rush transcript from "Special Report," October 29, 2019. This copy may not be in its final form and may be updated.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. MADELEINE DEAN, D-PENN.: I think it's an excellent step forward. It is a matter of process and due process.

REP. STEVE SCALISE, R-LA, HOUSE MINORITY WHIP: The resolution that was filed today in and of itself, according to Speaker Pelosi, affirms the Soviet-style process that's been going on and continues to deny due process and equal access to both sides.

REP. DINA TITUS, D-NV: It's pretty much the same procedure that has been followed in previous impeachment proceedings.

REP. LEE ZELDIN, R-N.Y.: This process, which was illegitimate yesterday, which is illegitimate today, apparently is going to be just as a legitimate come Thursday when they have this vote. This resolution should go down in flames.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRET BAIER, HOST: The House impeachment inquiry resolution has been put forward, likely to come to a vote on Thursday. Meantime, the White House was quick to react to that, putting out a statement from the press secretary Stephanie Grisham. The resolution put forward by Speaker Pelosi confirms that House Democrats impeachment has been an illegitimate sham from the start as it lacked any proper authorization by a House vote. It continues the scam by allowing Chairman Schiff, who repeatedly lies to the American people, to hold a new round of hearings, still without any due process for the president. The White House is barred from participating at all until after Chairman Schiff conducts two rounds of one-sided hearings to generate a biased report for the Judiciary Committee. Even then, the White House's rights remain undefined, unclear, and uncertain because those rules still haven't been written. This resolution does nothing to change the fundamental fact that House Democrats refuse to provide basic due process rights to the administration."

Let's bring in our panel, Steve Hayes, editor of "The Dispatch," Susan Page, Washington bureau chief at "USA Today," and Kimberley Strassel, a member of the editorial board at "The Wall Street Journal," also author of the bestseller "Resistance At All Costs, How Trump Haters are Breaking America." Kimberley, first to you, your thoughts on this resolution and what this is shaping up to be?

KIMBERLEY STRASSEL, WALL STREET JOURNAL: Look, why have they put this out? Because they were facing a lot of accusations that this was being done in a highly unusual manner, that they had not actually voted for the authority to go forward with an impeachment inquiry. So now we have this resolution, but as you could see, it certainly is not going to satisfy Republicans or shield them from ongoing complaints. It still isn't being done in the way the former impeachment proceedings have been done. Most notably, it has been outsourced to these three committees who will continue to do these hearings probably behind closed doors and where the president's counsel will not be welcomed to take part. They will not be able to take part until it actually goes to the Judiciary Committee, and that will allow Republicans to continue saying that this is being done in a one-sided way.

BAIER: Meantime, Susan, this testimony today, and it was still ongoing as the show started, from Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Vindman, a top Ukraine expert on the National Security Council, basically he was on the call, the first witness that we know of who was actually on the call, and said that he expressed concerns about it during that time and after that time.

SUSAN PAGE, WASHINGTON BUREAU CHIEF, "USA TODAY": I had not heard of Alexander Vindman before today, but I think it is likely that he is the most important witness that we've heard from so far on this impeachment inquiry because he was on the call, unlike the previous witnesses, unlike the whistleblower. He is not a political figure. He is someone who has served with honor in the Army, who got a Purple Heart from being wounded in the Iraq War. And he is someone who raised objections immediately after the phone call to the NSC Council, saying he thought some inappropriate had happened. So he is, I think, a very powerful voice to be heard from. And I think when we go to the public hearings, which are likely to start next month, we are likely to hear from him there.

BAIER: Yes. Steve, the question -- and I don't like anybody doubts that he had concerns and he expressed them. The question is whether that is illegal and where this process goes in this articles of impeachment, as the Democrats go down this road.

STEVE HAYES, CONTRIBUTOR: I think there is a question about what is legal and illegal. There's also the question of the political process. I think Democrats are overdue in opening up this process and actually putting this to a vote. We would all do better to have this done out in the open, and the president should be afforded the opportunity to defend himself, to have the White House defend himself.

On the substance, though, I think your Republicans are facing a tough road here with two new harsh realities. The quid pro quo -- the no quid pro quo defense has basically collapsed. You now have multiple credible witnesses who have testified under oath the president engaged in this quid pro quo. That's highly problematic.

And while I agree with Susan's point that Vindman was a credible witness, at least judging by his opening statement. We obviously couldn't see what he ultimately testified to and how he answered questions, but he's a person with a respected background. I think in some sense the more damaging witnesses for the White House are the Republicans. The president and the White House can complain about the process, and as I said, I think they have some legitimate gripes. The real problem is that the most damaging testimony comes from people like Mick Mulvaney and from Kurt Volker and from Gordon Sondland and from Bill Taylor, all people who the White House itself had brought in to the process and who worked for President Trump.

BAIER: Right. You mentioned, though, and it's importantly to point out, Kimberley, that we are not seeing cross-examination by Republicans or how they answer some of that pushback behind closed doors, and eventually in an open hearing, obviously, we'd see some of that.

Kimberley, the president continues to say read the transcript of the call. Trump supporters continue to say the call is for you to see. You can make a determination. And I guess the question is whether the transcript is a transcript, and you go down that road.

STRASSEL: Well, look, this is the attitude of a lot of Republicans. I don't think that they are necessarily overly concerned by some of this testimony, and here's why. Because impeachment is a political process, which means fundamentally you have to convince the American people that you have actually found an impeachable offense. And the Republican point here has been, and this is clearly something that continues to resonate with vast numbers of Trump voters, is that look at the transcript, no explicit quid pro quo. The Ukrainians have said that they did not know that the aide was being withheld. They've also said that they felt no pressure. And, by the way, the aide flowed in the end, and despite the fact that there was no investigation.

So you have to convince those voters out there that somehow whatever happened that the Democrats are claiming actually happen, despite this other evidence. And I'm not sure they're actually making much headway in that regard.

BAIER: Quickly, Susan. This is heading towards public hearings. Obviously, the Mueller public hearings did not deliver what Democrats hoped they would. They are betting a different result this time.

PAGE: That's right, and by having these private hearings beforehand, they'll be able to lay out a narrative that they think works for them of the most consistent version of events by the most persuasive witnesses, so I think this is likely to be different from the Mueller hearing, although I agree Democrats need to be careful to make it look like a fair process and not some kind of kangaroo court because they do need to bring along public opinion to convince American voters that this is a fair process and one that is aimed at getting at the truth of what happened.

BAIER: All right, we'll follow it. Likely a vote on Thursday. Panel, thank you.

When we come back, a young star on the ice in the nation's capital.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BAIER: Finally tonight, the mite of the night. Almost every home game for the Washington Capitals, the NHL team, allows young fans to scrimmage between the periods. The Mighty Mites battle it out for a few minutes in front of the Cap's home crowd. The star Mite of the Night a few weeks ago was Jackson Friedlander, scored two goals that night. Here are some highlights from his amazing postgame interview.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm like seriously excited. I'm kind of shy, but mostly excited and courageous.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Who is your favorite Caps player?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's Ovechkin. And always, I have a tarantula named Michael. He's a curly hair. He just had two crickets on Monday, one on Sunday.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Do you have anything you want to say to all your fans out there?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: My hockey teams, mom and dad, I just love you so much, everybody. Please, God bless everybody.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BAIER: I mean, that's kid made for politics, or TV or something. Sign him up. Thanks for inviting us into your home tonight. That's it for the “Special Report,” fair, balanced and unafraid.

Here's Martha.

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