House Judiciary Committee Democrats met behind closed doors for six hours on Tuesday for a private preparation session ahead of the panel’s official overtaking of the impeachment inquiry Wednesday. And the committee’s chairman Rep. Jerry Nadler (D-NY) used the prep time to offer some candid reassurance to his caucus.
“I’m not going to take any shit,” he said, according to Politico. The remark made some lawmakers in the room straighten up in their seats, people in the room told Politico.
Politico described the meeting as a “dress rehearsal” for the upcoming hearing in the House Ways and Means Committee room, where the Intelligence Committee held all of its hearings in that space. The committee held a mock hearing and ex-staffers were brought in to play the role of Reps. Jim Jordan (R-OH), Doug Collins (R-GA) and other aggressive minority members of the committee.
Committee members reportedly feel confident in their approach and Nadler’s leadership, heading into their first big hearing on Wednesday, but some lawmakers privately told Politico there is some concern in the caucus about Nadler’s approach and demeanor, a fear that Republicans plan to seize on Wednesday. As Playbook reported Tuesday, Judiciary Committee Republicans feel that Nadler will be easier to rattle than House Intelligence Committee Chair Adam Schiff (D-CA) because he often relies on notes for much of his statements and questioning.
