The decision to block EU Ambassador Gordon Sondland's testimony before several House committees shows that "everything is a clown show," an exasperated Rep. Adam Kinzinger said Tuesday morning.
"Everybody in this process is losing credibility, and frankly, the American people have lost and are losing faith in the institutions of government," the Illinois Republican told Fox News' "America's Newsroom."
"It is really disheartening to me. I think any time Congress calls somebody in to testify, it is the responsibility of that person to testify."
In text messages released by House Democrats last week, Sondland is showed working with another envoy to get Ukraine to agree to investigate interference in the 2016 election and to investigate the company that had appointed former Vice President Joe Biden's son Hunter to its board.
Kinzinger said Tuesday he does have some sympathy about how Sondland was treated, as House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff, D-Calif., "does a lot of selected leaking."
But still, if Sondland is called to testify and if his comments could help exonerate President Donald Trump, Kinzinger said he does not know why the State Department wouldn't let him speak.
Sondland had agreed to cooperate, and Kinzinger said that is why he wishes the diplomat would be speaking.
"The ambassador who last week testified actually seemed to exonerate the president, at least not add fuel to the fire," said Kinzinger.
The lawmaker said he does think there are questions about whether Trump sought Ukraine's help to investigate the Bidens, but he doesn't agree that it warrants an impeachment inquiry.
Meanwhile, there is a great deal of misinformation coming from all directions, but answers are needed, said Kinzinger.
"I think everybody should take a deep breath and say if you'll be around in 10, 20, 30, 40 years or you have kids or grandkids, what we're doing now will leave a legacy for what the future of the United States looks like," said Kinzinger. "There won't be some magic jump back to maturity after all this immaturity."