Biggs: Impeachment Inquiry 'Stalinesque, Soviet-Style'

House Freedom Caucus Chairman Andy Biggs Monday labeled Democrats' closed-door impeachment hearings as being 'Stalinesque Soviet-style,' as he discussed an upcoming vote on a censure motion against Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff.

"You'll see tonight we'll have this censure motion go forward on a vote," Biggs, R-Ariz., told Fox News' "America's Newsroom." "Then the rest of the week there is a number of hearings scheduled that are closed-door behind this continuation of this Stalinesque, Soviet-style impeachment inquiry and then there will be a break later this week because of Rep. (Elijah) Cummings' funeral that will take place late in the week. It will be a shortened week but filled with closed-door hearings in the Intelligence Committee again."

The censure will come before the Democrat-controlled House, meaning it will likely fail, but Biggs said Republicans want to make sure Americans understand that how Schiff is conducting the inquiry is "not the normal way" to proceed.

"The second thing is it lets Mr. Schiff know himself how disappointed we are, and thirdly, I would say they get to say look, we're perfectly content with closed-door impeachment inquiry or they get to say it isn't quite right; we want to do it the right way. It is filled with a lot of symbolism but (has) harsh reality to it as well."

He added that if the inquiry was a formal one, Trump would be able to have his own counsel present, and he and Republicans could bring in witnesses through an open-door, transparent procedure that could be watched in real-time. 

"We're being denied all of that," said Biggs. "We can't even get the transcripts. When he says we'll see it ultimately, who will be the filter through which we see that? Adam Schiff. He has prevented me and many of my colleagues who asked for copies of transcripts and we just don't get them."

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