House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff, D-Calif., speaks during a news conference on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, Dec. 3, 2019. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)

Now the questions at the Senate impeachment trial are heating things up and they have House Intel Chair Adam Schiff, the primary House Democratic impeachment manager, melting down and steaming.

Chief Justice Roberts wouldn’t allow Sen. Rand Paul’s question about the whistleblower earlier in the day, refusing to read it out.

But then senators picked up on the baton, rephrased the question and managed to get it asked anyway.

The question involved the reports that two Obama holdover NSC staff members, Sean Misko and the alleged whistleblower Eric Ciaramella had a conversation that was overheard shortly after President Donald Trump came to office in which they spoke about “need to do everything we can to take out the president.” But it didn’t name Ciaramella, so Roberts read it.

The question further mentioned that Misko had then been hired by Schiff’s House Intel Committee the day after the phone call between Trump and Zelensky.

Question asked about former NSC staff Sean Misko saying to the alleged Whistleblower “We need to do everything we can to take out the President” at an NSC meeting. “Why did your committee hire Sean Misko the day after the phone call between President Trump and Zelensky?” pic.twitter.com/46F3N6FcwH — Benny (@bennyjohnson) January 30, 2020

“Why did your Committee hire Sean Misko and what role has he played in the investigation,” the question asked.

The alleged Whistleblower worked with Schiff staffers Sean Misko & Abigail Grace at the NSC. They reportedly made a commitment to “Do everything” they could to “take out the President” Schiff’s staff reportedly communicated with the Whistleblower. Do you have questions? I do. pic.twitter.com/3r79L2PeN9 — Benny (@bennyjohnson) January 29, 2020

To say the least. It smells, to put it bluntly. We’ve reported on this but now it’s finally being said and questioned publicly on the Senate floor when it should have come out in the House and that probably would have stopped all this. Which of course, why it didn’t come out.

Schiff even has a second aide whom he hired in February 2019 out of the Trump NSC, Abigail Grace, who also worked with the whistleblower.

So what was Schiff’s response to this blockbuster question? Complete evasion.

Adam Schiff just complained about Republicans using an “unsubstantiated press article” to “smear” his staff. Schiff called it "disgraceful." Pot meet kettle. Schiff used the unsubstantiated Steele Dossier to smear @realDonaldTrump. Spare us the sanctimony Adam Schiff. pic.twitter.com/kTyg0Kq3A4 — Steve Guest (@SteveGuest) January 30, 2020

Schiff refused to answer the questions, which says a lot right there, he never denied them. He said that he refused to say anything which could identify the whistleblower. But how could he say anything that could identify the whistleblower if he doesn’t even know who it is? He complained members of Congress “didn’t use to attack Committee staff.” That’s laughable from a guy who has smeared both members of Congress and the president incessantly. He talks about an “unsubstantiated smear?” But that’s exactly what he did with the dossier for three years against Trump. And there are a lot more legitimate questions here than there.

BREAKING: Over dozen Senators just asked Schiff about RCI story (below) & he did not deny it but complained about “attacks" & "smears on my staff." Schiff refused to answer direct question why he hired WB pal Misko day after the Trump-Ukraine phone call:https://t.co/huxDEwPQBm — Paul Sperry (@paulsperry_) January 30, 2020

Schiff says he’s not going to respond to “unfounded smears” except just a few days ago he demanded that Senators not give in to a “head on a pike” threat and when heckled admitted that “I don’t know if that’s true” — Undercover Huber (@JohnWHuber) January 30, 2020

Adam Schiff is self-combusting on the Senate Floor because he knows he got caught with Democratic coordination with the whistleblower. Important to remember👇 🚨🚨FLASHBACK: Adam Schiff was absolutely adamant about hearing from the whistleblower 🚨🚨 WATCH👇 https://t.co/uIT5hrpvwJ — Elise Stefanik (@EliseStefanik) January 30, 2020

Rich to listen to Adam Schiff complain about "disgraceful" attacks on his integrity when he himself sat on the House Intel Committee and lied about classified info to smear President Trump, knowing his claims couldn't be disproved. Srsly one of the worst people in Washington. — Andrew Clark 🥶 (@AndrewHClark) January 30, 2020