Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) on Thursday, submitted a question for the record during the Senate impeachment trial, but Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts refused to read the question to the Democrat impeachment managers and President Donald Trump’s counsel.
“The presiding officer declines to read the question as submitted,” the Chief Justice said.
Senator Rand Paul left the chamber after his question was denied and held a news conference, telling reporters, “I think this is an important question. One that deserves to be asked.”
He also took to Twitter and posted what his question was in the Senate: “My question today is about whether or not individuals who were holdovers from the Obama National Security Council and Democrat partisans conspired with Schiff staffers to plot impeaching the President before there were formal House impeachment proceedings,” Senator Rand Paul wrote.
“My exact question was: Are you aware that House intelligence committee staffer Shawn Misko had a close relationship with Eric Ciaramella while at the National Security Council together and are you aware and how do you respond to reports that Ciaramella and Misko may have worked together to plot impeaching the President before there were formal house impeachment proceeding?” the Kentucky Senator asked.
“My question is not about a ‘whistleblower’ as I have no independent information on his identity. My question is about the actions of known Obama partisans within the NSC and House staff and how they are reported to have conspired before impeachment proceedings had even begun,” Senator Rand Paul tweeted. (Continued Below)
During his news conference, Senator Rand Paul said his question made no reference to a whistleblower or any kind of complaint from a whistleblower, noting that the question was important and one that should be asked.
“Manager Schiff said he has no knowledge [of the whistleblower]. If he has no knowledge, then the rest of us can have no knowledge of who the whistleblower is. The president’s team said they have no knowledge of who the whistleblower is. I think there was an incorrect finding to not allow a question that makes no reference. It means that anybody who might have said there might have been a whistleblower, could never be discussed in a proceeding,” he said.
“I think it’s very important whether or not a group of Democrat activists, part of the Obama-Biden administration, were working together for years looking for an opportunity to impeach the president,” Senator Rand Paul explained. (Videos Below)
Chief Justice John Roberts declined to read Senator Rand Paul’s question:
Sen. Rand Paul left the chamber after Chief Justice John Roberts declined to read his question.
“The presiding officer declines to read the question as submitted,” the Chief Justice said. https://t.co/T1f9qedcWT pic.twitter.com/7irW4UtprU
— ABC News (@ABC) January 30, 2020
Senator Rand Paul’s press conference:
Sen. @RandPaul: "My question made no reference to any whistleblower…"
He then reads the question.
"I think this is an important question. One that deserves to be asked." pic.twitter.com/D2iafDrv4X
— CSPAN (@cspan) January 30, 2020
(Continued Below)
Senator Rand Paul’s official tweets:
My exact question was:
Are you aware that House intelligence committee staffer Shawn Misko had a close relationship with Eric Ciaramella while at the National Security Council together 1/2
— Senator Rand Paul (@RandPaul) January 30, 2020
My question is not about a “whistleblower” as I have no independent information on his identity. My question is about the actions of known Obama partisans within the NSC and House staff and how they are reported to have conspired before impeachment proceedings had even begun.
— Senator Rand Paul (@RandPaul) January 30, 2020
