I was a member of the New Hampshire House of Representatives for 18 years (I hope to return again). Granted the New Hampshire Legislature is a unique environment. Its rules of conduct of the members are exceptional. It is the only Legislature I know of in the United States of America (and as far as I know in the world) that requires all submitted Bills to have public hearings, and a vote on the floor. This practice was first instituted in 1970s by Speaker George Roberts.
We have strict rules of decorum, not only on the floor of the House, but also in Committee Hearings. The circus that was the Public Hearing of Attorney General William Barr could never have happened in New Hampshire. Members are prohibited from being adversarial with witnesses. The purpose of the hearing is to obtain testimony, knowledge, from the witnesses. Members are not allowed to express their own opinions. I have often seen Committee Chairmen, myself included, rein in members of their own party, let alone the minority party. The typical phrases is: is there a question here? Or, does the member have a question? Never is a testator interrupted, unless after a long digression, the Chairman urges them to stay on the subject.
What I saw Tuesday in the United States of America, House of Representatives, Judiciary Committee was a disgrace to representative government. The hearing could have been conducted without the General Barr in attendance. His only purpose in being their was to lay a veneer of legitimacy to the proceedings. The members of the majority party seldom let General Barr give any answer to their “questions”, let alone a complete answer. Instead it was forum for them to proclaim their positions on television, and in the records of the House of Representatives. Every American ought to be embarrassed by the performance of the Democratic Representatives, particularly the Chairman. Anyone who was not embarrassed is more interested in Power than justice. They are not an American in any true sense of the title.
