House Homeland Security Chair Demands Sergeant at Arms "Take Action" Against Republicans Who Stormed Impeachment Hearing by Jake Johnson!
(2019-10-24 at 14:56:32 )

House Homeland Security Chair Demands Sergeant at Arms "Take Action" Against Republicans Who Stormed Impeachment Hearing by Jake Johnson

Rep. Bennie Thompson called the GOP stunt an "unprecedented breach of security."

Flanked by about two dozen House Republicans, Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) speaks as House Minority Whip Rep. Steve Scalise (R-La.) listens during a press conference on October 23, 2019 in Washington, D.C.

Rep. Bennie Thompson, chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee, demanded on Wednesday that the chambers sergeant at arms "take action" against the dozens of Republican lawmakers who stormed a secure impeachment hearing room with their cellphones, a brazen violation of House rules.

"Our country is a game to them. Remember that the next time they use "national security" as an excuse for their bad ideas."-Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez

In a letter (pdf) to House Sergeant at Arms Paul Irving, the chambers chief law enforcement official, Mr. Thompson called the Republicans coordinated attempt to disrupt House Democrats impeachment inquiry "a blatant breach of security" that "violates the oath of all members of the United States Congress sign to gain access to classified information" and "contravenes security controls established by the Director of the Central Intelligence Agency for the protection of classified information."

"This unprecedented breach of security raises serious concerns for committee chairmen, including me, responsible for maintaining SCIFs [Sensitive Compartmented Information Facilities]," Mr. Thompson wrote. "As such, I am requesting you take action with respect to the members involved in the breach."

"More broadly," Mr. Thompson added, "I urge you to take House-wide action to remind all members about the dangers of such reckless action and the potential national security risks of such behavior."

Mr Thompsons letter came after the GOPs disruption effort was finally tamped down. All told, the Republican stunt delayed by five hours the testimony of Pentagon official Laura Cooper, a witness in House Democrats impeachment inquiry against President Donald Trump.

As Buzzfeed reported, a dozen of the House Republicans who took part in Wednesdays stunt are members of the House Intelligence, Judiciary, or Foreign Affairs Committees, meaning they already had access to the impeachment hearing that they decried as overly secretive.

Journalist Marcy Wheeler compiled a list of the more than 40 Republican lawmakers who took part in the security violation.

Updated list of the 41 people Mr. Gaetz said were part of Brooks Brothers The Farce. Those marked with an asterisk--12 of them--can actually participate in the hearings they claim are not transparent enough.-emptywheelOctober 23, 2019

On top of storming a secure room with their electronic devices, numerous Republican lawmakers-including Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.), who led the group-tweeted updates from inside the SCIF, a significant breach of House security protocol.

The lawmakers later claimed the tweets were sent by staff.

"Since many of the flash mob already sat on the committees, they -knew- how serious a breach it was to bring devices into SCIF and did it anyways," Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) tweeted late Wednesday. "Our country is a game to them. Remember that the next time they use "National Security" as an excuse for their bad ideas."

Reprinted here from "Common Dreams" has been providing breaking news & views for the progressive community since 1997. We are independent, non-profit, advertising-free and 100% reader supported.