House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., has submitted a resolution to provide a pretense of House authorization to Democrats’ impeachment inquiry. Pelosi’s resolution references an “existing House of Representatives inquiry,” when no such inquiry exists, because the House has never voted to authorize it.

Pelosi's resolution references "the existing House of Representatives inquiry," but no such House of Representatives investigation exists, because the House of Representatives never authorized one. And this resolution doesn't either. pic.twitter.com/blss6WWPBh — Sean Davis (@seanmdav) October 29, 2019

“The the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence and the Committees on Financial Services, Foreign Affairs, the Judiciary, Oversight and Reform, and Ways and Means, are directed to continue their ongoing investigations as part of the existing House of Representatives inquiry into whether sufficient grounds exist for the House of Representatives to exercise its Constitutional power to impeach Donald John Trump, President o the United States of America,” the resolution reads.

For an impeachment inquiry to exist, the House would have to hold a formal vote to authorize it. Pelosi has yet to authorize such a vote, so a formal impeachment inquiry does not exist.

The Federalist reached out to Pelosi’s office to obtain an official roll call from the alleged formal impeachment inquiry vote. The speaker’s office did not respond. House Democrats claim they will hold a formal impeachment inquiry vote on Oct. 31.

The resolution claims Republicans can submit any requests for witness testimony that may be relevant to the investigation. However, Democrats can turn down these requests, and let’s be honest, they most likely will since so far they have barred Republicans from inquiry records and have directed witnesses not to answer Republican members’ questions.

To allow for full evaluation of minority witness requests, [Rep. Devin Nunes (R-Calif.)] may submit to [Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.)], in writing, any requests for witness testimony relevant to the investigation. In the case that [Schiff] declines to concur in a proposed action of [Nunes] … [Nunes] shall have the right to refer to the committee for decision.

Therefore, if Schiff decides to turn down a witness request by Nunes, Nunes can only appeal to a committee run by Democrats.

According to the resolution, Schiff may make transcripts of depositions publicly available online, yet with redactions for classified and other “sensitive information.”

[Schiff] is authorized to make publicly available in electronic form the transcripts of depositions conducted by the Permanent Select Committee [on Intelligence] in furtherance of the investigation … with appropriate redactions for classified and other sensitive information.

Unfortunately, that means Schiff can classify whatever he deems to be “sensitive information” and redact any portion of a deposition that would hinder his ultimate agenda of impeaching Trump.

This resolution is clearly a public relations stunt by Democrats, especially given Republicans’ repeated calls for more transparency in this fake inquiry. The resolution is an attempt to demonstrate transparency and legality to an operation clearly lacking both, while in reality perpetuating business for Democrats as usual.