An impeachment inquiry is supposed to be serious business. After all, it’s the final check on presidential power that the Constitution grants. Well, welcome to the House Intelligence Committee clown show, starring Adam Schiff.



Now, Schiff has a long history of overselling what he’s got and then wearing all the eggs on his face, plus the Hollandaise sauce, later. So what does a clown with a gavel do when given a serious matter like impeachment?

It’s time for the House Intelligence Committee parody show, starring…. Chairman Adam Schiff!

Rep. Schiff re-writes the call transcript for added drama: "I’m going to say this only seven times, so you better listen good, I want you to make up dirt on my political opponent, understand, lots of it, on this and on that, I’m going to put you in touch with people" pic.twitter.com/1rV7BpEN6o — Tom Elliott (@tomselliott) September 26, 2019



Um, what the hell was that? We have the transcript in front of us, why is Schiff doing that? (That is a rhetorical question – this is Adam Schiff we are talking about, so we know exactly why he is doing that. He can’t help making himself looking like a complete tool.)

Schiff was then forced to admit, on camera, that he was making a parody out of a committee hearing.

Democrat Rep. Adam Schiff (CA) admits that his blatant fabrication of quotes from Trump's Ukraine call was "wrong" after he got called out Schiff claims it was a "parody" Impeachment is a politically polarizing event and Schiff thinks it's just a big joke Absolutely unreal pic.twitter.com/YqcQscCKYt — Ryan Saavedra (@RealSaavedra) September 26, 2019



His colleagues on the committee were… less than pleased with that performance.

Rep. Stefanik throws shade at Schiff for his fake opening remarks.

pic.twitter.com/dDAzC9t3m4 — Steve Guest (@SteveGuest) September 26, 2019



But back to the actual substance of the committee hearing. Not only did the White House release the transcript of the Zelensky call yesterday, the redacted whistleblower report was released today. The committee was supposed to be talking to acting Director of National Intelligence, Joseph Maguire. The whistleblower report does not have any new bombshells. The person making the report admits that they do not have first hand information of the call, or what they are reporting on. Schiff decided to grandstand on the whistleblower report and complain to Maguire that he didn’t take it seriously. (You know, like Congressman Parody Pants just did.)



Now, why would Schiff be so invested in the integrity of the whistleblower? Fred Fleitz, who identifies himself as a “former CIA analyst and former NSC official whoe edited transcripts of POTUS phone calls with foreign leaders,” has some serious questions.

This is not an intelligence matter. It is a policy matter and a complaint about differences over policy. Presidential phone calls are not an intelligence concern. The fact that IC officers transcribe these calls does not give the IC IG jusrisdiction over these calls.”

The way this complaint was written suggested the author had a lot of help. I know from my work on the House Intel Commitee staff that many whistleblowers go directly to the intel oversight committees. Did this whistleblower first meet with House Intel committee members?” It is therefore important that Congress find out where this complaint came from. What did House and Senate intel committee dem members and staff know about it and when? Did they help orchestrate this complaint?” My view is that this whistleblower complaint is too convenient and too perfect to come from a typical whistleblower. Were other IC officers involved? Where (sic) outside groups opposed to the president involved?”

If you put your tinfoil hat on, it isn’t much of a stretch to suggest that a whistleblower might have had some “help” in making sure that the hearsay was written up nicely and tied with a bow. It would be peak swamp. The problem is, the whistleblower’s entire claim of a “cover up” was completely blown yesterday when the White House released the transcript of the call. Doesn’t that render the entire whistleblower complaint moot?

I’m beginning to think that while the Zelensky call doesn’t do Trump any favors, the Democrats were counting on him claiming “executive privilege” and keeping the transcript under wraps. The fact that both the transcript and the whistleblower complaint have both been released within 48 hours of Pelosi caving to the House caucus is knocking the wind out of their impeachment sails. And all Schiff can do now is bad improv in front of the House Intelligence committee. If there is no more evidence than this, then the Democrats have really and truly sunk themselves.

Welcome Instapundit Readers!

Featured image: Congressman Adam Schiff (D-CA), screenshot via NBC News on YouTube