Rep. Mark Meadows Mark Randall MeadowsWhite House chief of staff knocks FBI director over testimony on election fraud Anxious Democrats amp up pressure for vote on COVID-19 aid Pelosi hopeful COVID-19 relief talks resume 'soon' MORE (R-N.C.) slammed former George W. Bush campaign aide Matthew Dowd after he made a comment criticizing Rep. Elise Stefanik Elise Marie StefanikRepublicans cast Trump as best choice for women The Hill's Morning Report - Presented by Facebook - Pence rips Biden as radical risk GOP women offer personal testimonials on Trump MORE (R-N.Y.). The congressman deemed the comment "reprehensible."

"Elise Stefanik is a perfect example of why just electing someone because they are a woman or a millennial doesn’t necessarily get you the leaders we need," wrote Dowd, now an ABC News political analyst.

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Meadows shot back, defending his colleague.

"Elise did a great job laying out the facts. And, not least of all, this comment is reprehensible," Meadows replied.

Stefanik also weighed in, saying, "It’s a good thing I wasn’t raised to measure my self-worth or professional work based on tweets from self-important @MSNBC commentators like Dowd (who is he again?)."

Elise stefanik is a perfect example of why just electing someone because they are a woman or a millennial doesn’t necessarily get you the leaders we need. — Matthew Dowd (@matthewjdowd) November 13, 2019

Elise did a great job laying out the facts. And, not least of all, this comment is reprehensible. https://t.co/Rf6CqbRtmR — Mark Meadows (@RepMarkMeadows) November 13, 2019

Thx @RepMarkMeadows ! It’s a good thing I wasn’t raised to measure my self-worth or professional work based on tweets from self-important @MSNBC commentators like Dowd (who is he again?)! I earn support from #NY21 voters bc of my focus on keeping my promises & delivering #Results https://t.co/o3BvcWh1NQ — Elise Stefanik (@EliseStefanik) November 13, 2019

Dowd has since deleted the tweet.

Stefanik entered into a heated exchange with House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff Adam Bennett SchiffSchiff to subpoena top DHS official, alleges whistleblower deposition is being stonewalled Schiff claims DHS is blocking whistleblower's access to records before testimony GOP lawmakers distance themselves from Trump comments on transfer of power MORE (D-Calif.) over the identity of the whistleblower whose complaint sparked the impeachment inquiry into President Trump Donald John TrumpFederal prosecutor speaks out, says Barr 'has brought shame' on Justice Dept. Former Pence aide: White House staffers discussed Trump refusing to leave office Progressive group buys domain name of Trump's No. 1 Supreme Court pick MORE.

"Will you be prohibiting witnesses from members' questions as you have during the closed-door depositions?" she asked.

Schiff responded that the only time he did so is "when it was apparent that members were seeking to out the whistleblower."

"I'm disturbed to hear members of the committee who have in the past voiced strong support for whistleblower protections seek to undermine those protections by outing the whistleblower," he added.

On behalf of millions of Americans, I will continue to speak up to make sure that Adam Schiff does not continue his #regimeofsecrecy and that Members can ask questions to get ALL the facts. pic.twitter.com/7x3fS7EAI2 — Elise Stefanik (@EliseStefanik) November 13, 2019

The first set of public impeachment hearings took place on Wednesday as part of House Democrats' inquiry into Trump's dealings with Ukraine.

Updated 5:03 p.m.