Judiciary Democrat fearful Republicans will treat impeachment hearing like ‘game’

Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.), a member of the House Judiciary Committee, said early Wednesday that she is fearful Republican members of the panel will treat its first impeachment hearing like a “game.”

Jayapal told CNN’s “New Day” that she is worried about some of the Republican members of the committee that are “hellbent on defending the president at any cost.”

{mosads}She also said she thinks some GOP lawmakers “are going to try and make chaos” at the hearing.

“We are in a serious moment,” she said. “I hope the Republicans don’t treat this as a game, but I’m afraid that they might.”

House Judiciary member @RepJayapal on today’s impeachment hearing: “I hope the Republicans don’t treat this as a game, but I’m afraid that they might.”https://t.co/WMYCTrw5ly pic.twitter.com/9VFsbMRlw0

— New Day (@NewDay) December 4, 2019

She said the tone of Wednesday’s hearing will be different from House Intelligence Committee hearings, as the Judiciary Committee attempts to determine what the founders envisioned by including impeachment in the Constitution. 

“I just hope that the American people who are watching understand the graveness of what is before us,” she said. 

The Judiciary hearings will feature four constitutional lawyers.

House Democrats launched an impeachment inquiry into the president after a whistleblower report revealed he asked the Ukrainian president to look into former Vice President Joe Biden after withholding military aid from the country.