Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA) is the starting quarterback for the Democrats’ impeachment effort. The Left has taken the Trump-Ukraine story hook, line, and sinker. It’s even shoddier than the Russian collusion myth. A whistleblower alleged that Trump had shaken down the Ukrainian political leadership to investigate Hunter Biden’s board position on a Ukrainian energy company or risk having military aid withheld. The so-called whistleblower did not listen in on the call, it’s all based on secondhand information, and Ukraine did get the aid. This wasn’t even brought up during the call per the transcript released by the Trump White House. Also, during testimony today in front of the House Intelligence Committee from State Department officials Bill Taylor and George Kent, there really wasn’t any quid pro quo.

Truly remarkable. Rep. Mike Turner, a moderate and defense/foreign policy guru, is telling both witnesses that their testimony is hearsay and wouldn't be allowed in a court of law.



Guys, Rs are NOT going to vote for impeachment... — Rachael Bade (@rachaelmbade) November 13, 2019

Wow. The Democrats really have nothing. — Jason Chaffetz (@jasoninthehouse) November 13, 2019

This so-called whistleblower is a reported CIA agent, a registered Democrat, and has worked with a 2020 Democratic candidate. His complaint was viewed by Adam Schiff’s staff before it was filed. The first phase of this impeachment process was being carried out in secret. Democrats didn’t want open hearings. Open hearings are what exposed the collusion narrative as a hoax. They tried to keep this in the bunker for as long as they could, only giving Republicans on the committee brief summaries based on hours of testimony that could only be read with a Democratic staffer present. Schiff even directed witnesses to ignore GOP questions when this process was shrouded in secrecy (via Fox News):

House Republican leaders, in a fiery news conference …said House Intelligence Committee Chairman Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., prevented a witness in the latest impeachment hearing from answering certain questions from Republican members. Rep. Steve Scalise, R-La., and Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, told reporters that Schiff shut down a Republican line of questioning during a hearing with Army Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman, the latest current or former Trump administration official to come before Congress in relation to the impeachment probe. "When we asked [Vindman] who he spoke to after important events in July -- Adam Schiff says, 'no, no, no, we're not going to let him answer that question,"' Jordan said. Jordan went on to say that Schiff seemed to be breaking his own rules for the hearings, implying the chairman was acting almost as a "lawyer" for Vindman.

This is so key:



The entire premise of this impeachment sham is that President Trump was "twisting the arm" of President Zelensky (over aid they didn't know was held up)



Taylor held THREE meetings with Zelensky, NOT ONCE were Biden or Burisma brought uppic.twitter.com/EZ8KQ8HKoL — Elizabeth Harrington (@LizRNC) November 13, 2019

.@Jim_Jordan: You didn’t listen in on President Trump & Zelensky’s call?



Taylor: I did not.



Jordan: You’ve never talked with Chief of Staff Mulvaney?



Taylor: I never did.



Jordan: You’ve never met the President?



Taylor: That’s correct.



Jordan: And you’re their star witness. pic.twitter.com/ebZ6jsEjeB — Kevin McCarthy (@GOPLeader) November 13, 2019

Both of the Democrats’ star witnesses in the #ImpeachmentHearings just confirmed that they were not on the call...



So, they have nothing to offer? ??#DemsGotNothing #NoEvidencepic.twitter.com/N2DPyKD5vF — Jenny Beth Martin (@jennybethm) November 13, 2019

To summarize what's happened:



Bill Taylor, the Democrats star witness, has basically admitted today that he got virtually all of his hearsay info from Gordon Sondland



We have Sondland, in writing, admitting he really didn't know what happened with Ukrainian aid



This is a farce — Mark Meadows (@RepMarkMeadows) November 13, 2019

Now, there was a vote. This inquiry is now official. It’s been brought into the light, but Schiff is still very much high chancellor of impeachment. With Taylor and Kent shooting holes through the quid pro quo allegations, you can see why Schiff interrupted the Republicans’ question time during these proceedings.

??HOLY, WOW ??



Rep. Adam Schiff is blocking/interrupting GOP questions while telling witnesses how to answer.



GOP asks about Ukraine trying to help Hillary win election.



Schiff jumps in and tells witnesses they don't have to answer GOP questions.



This is a third-world coup! pic.twitter.com/Hklsrph2Cw — Benny (@bennyjohnson) November 13, 2019

It took Schiff less than 20 mins to interrupt & try to limit Republicans questions! He can’t help himself.



& yes for the Triggered Left Twitterverse, I’m tweeting & paying attention. A proud & effective multitasker!



Know who else has tweeted during this hearing? Adam Schiff. — Elise Stefanik (@EliseStefanik) November 13, 2019

Adam Schiff called out for interrupting GOP questions: “are you seriously interrupting our time here” #StopTheMadness pic.twitter.com/K8mjS6tBp6 — Steve Guest (@SteveGuest) November 13, 2019

It’s a sham, folks. Like Russian collusion, it’s pure garbage. This is and always has been about booting Trump for whatever reason they could find before the 2020 election. The clock is ticking. Time was up—and this quid pro quo nonsense is what’s left. It’s not about upholding institutional integrity or enforcing the rule of law. It’s about the Democratic Party’s inability to accept that they’ve been totally and utterly defeated.

As the Roman general said at the beginning of the movie Gladiator, “People should know when they’re conquered.”