In what will come as a shock to absolutely no one who has been paying attention, House Judiciary Committee Chairman Nadler has denied Republicans' request to seek testimony from Rep. Adam Schiff and the so-called 'whistleblower'.

Full letter below:

Dear Ranking Member Collins:

Thank you for your letter dated December 6, 2019, responding to my November 29 letter concerning whether you would like to pursue the issuance of subpoenas or interrogatories under H. Res. 660. In your letter you make eight requests for witnesses to appear before the Committee, as well as any witnesses "requested by the President."

My response to these requests are as follows:

First, since we received your letter, we understand the President is not requesting any witnesses to appear in our impeachment proceedings so there is no further reason to address that request.

With respect to your requests that the Committee obtain testimony from Chairman Schiff as well as "[t]he anonymous whistleblower whose complaint initiated this 'impeachment inquiry,'" the Committee has previously tabled motions with regard to these matters at its December 4, 2019 hearing, and I see no reason to reconsider those requests.

Moreover, the Intelligence Committee report has adduced independent evidence for its conclusions that do not rely upon the whistleblower in any way and Intelligence committee counsel will be testifying as provided for by H.R 660, and thus there is no need for Chairman Schiff.

Five of your remaining requests were previously made by Ranking Member Nunes during the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence impeachment proceedings, and were rejected by that Committee.

In doing so, Chairman Schiff stated, "[t]his inquiry is not, and will not serve...as a vehicle to undertake the same sham investigations into the Bidens or 2016 that the President pressed Ukraine to conduct for his personal political benefit, or to facilitate the President's effort to threaten, intimidate, and retaliate against the whistleblower who President's effort to threaten, intimidate, and retaliate against the whistleblower who courageously raised the initial alarm."

I concur in Chairman Schiff's assessment and also find that these requests outside of the parameters of the impeachment inquiry as set forth in the report issued by the Rules Committee to accompany H. Res. 660.1 The same is true of your remaining request concerning "[t]he Intelligence Community employee who spoke with Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Vindman about President Trump's July 25 phone call."

As described in my November 29 letter, I remain prepared to schedule a meeting at the conclusion of today's hearing should you choose to refer to the Committee for decision the question of whether to subpoena any or all of these witnesses or would like to make any other requests under section 4(c) of H. Res. 660.

Sincerely,

Jerrold Nadler