Adam Schiff asked, so Devin Nunes answered …

On Wednesday, House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff submitted a letter to ranking member Devin Nunes asking that he list out the witnesses that congressional Republicans would like to see testify once the impeachment hearings go public.

Two days later, Nunes responded by submitting his own letter — one in which he demanded that the committee chair himself step down from his parodial throne and testify, albeit privately.

“Prior to the start of your public show trial next week, at least one additional closed-door deposition must take place,” he wrote. “Specifically, I request that you sit for a closed-door deposition before the House Intelligence, Foreign Affairs and Oversight Committees.”

It was initially unclear why he didn’t just request that Schiff testify publicly.

View the full letter below:

As justification for this request, Nunes pointed to revelations that Schiff and his staff met with the partisan whistleblower.

“Although you publicly claim nothing inappropriate was discussed, the three committees deserve to hear directly from you the substance and circumstances surrounding any discussions conducted with the whistleblower, and any instructions you issued regarding those discussions,” he wrote.

“Given that you have reneged on your public commitment to let the committees interview the whistleblower directly, you are the only individual who can provide clarity as to these conversations,” he added.

Note also that the committee chair’s assertion that “nothing inappropriate was discussed” was issued after he first lied to the American people by claiming otherwise.

It’s now known that before the partisan whistleblower “blew the whistle,” per se, back in August, he sought “guidance” from the committee chair’s office.

But when questioned about this “guidance” in September, Schiff denied that members of his office had “spoken directly” with the whistleblower. This lie wound up earning him a four “Pinocchios” fact-check by The Washington Post.

“Schiff … clearly made a statement that was false,” the Post concluded at the start of October. “He now says he was answering the wrong question, but if that was the case, he should have quickly corrected the record.”

How many of these four Pinocchio’s Adam Schiff has stacked up by now? pic.twitter.com/eTAxRd3Kk6 — Jackie Sherry (@jackiefun68) October 28, 2019

The top Democrat has also been accused of coaching witnesses.

Concluding his bombshell letter, Nunes then provided a reason for why he chose to request that Schiff testify privately versus publicly — because of a precedent set, ironically enough, during Schiff’s past hearings into the debunked Russian collusion hoax.

“As you know, the House Intelligence Committee has precedent for such an arrangement,” he wrote. “During the Committee’s investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election, sitting members of Congress agreed to participate in closed-door depositions.”

“Given your championing of such an arrangement two years ago, you should have no problem with you appearing before the three committees to discuss your interactions with the whistleblower,” he continued.

In other words, what’s good for the goose ought to be good for the “Schifty” gander.

Speaking earlier in the week on Fox News’ “Hannity,” Nunes provided more clarity about his request, which at the time he hadn’t yet formally issued but had announced.

“Remember, last Congress, they were hell-bent on making sure that former Congressman Dana Rohrbacher testified,” he argued. “I said, I don’t think this is a very good idea having members of Congress come testify and give depositions.”

“So, congratulations Democrats that were on the House Judiciary Committee — it’s now become the impeachment committee — they have set the precedent for members of Congress to give depositions,” he added.

Listen:

(Source: Fox News

It is believed he meant the House Intelligence Committee, as then-Rep. Dana Rohrbacher was in fact forced to testify before it two years ago.

“They were just trying to detail the different things I’ve done with the Russians,” he said in a statement at the time. “I’m the chairman of the subcommittee that is the point person on our relations with Russia over these last five years. I’ve had a lot of meetings and codels (congressional delegation trips), and they were trying to make sure they understood.”

Meanwhile, as Nunes has been busy trying to force Schiff to live by his own standards, other top Republicans have been blasting the committee chair for the unfair manner in which he’s been handling the whole impeachment matter.

Take House Oversight Committee ranking member Jim Jordan, who’s been temporarily reassigned to the Intelligence Committee so he can monitor Schiff’s shenanigans:

Republicans only have til Saturday to request witnesses for ALL open hearings. –@RepAdamSchiff decides WHICH witnesses testify, if any

-Schiff decides WHEN witnesses testify, if at all

-President’s counsel still excluded Does this sound like due process? — Rep. Jim Jordan (@Jim_Jordan) November 8, 2019

“Jim Jordan has been on the front lines in the fight for fairness and truth. His addition will ensure more accountability and transparency in this sham process,” House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy said to Fox News on Friday.

Jordan’s replacing Rep. Rick Crawford, who reportedly resigned from the committee on Friday.

“Along with millions of Americans across the country who are frustrated with this impeachment-obsessed majority, Rick has offered to step aside for this charade,” McCarthy said. “When it is finished, Rick will rejoin the committee and resume his work to keep our country safe.”