00:00All right. Um, excuse me, can I interrupt? I have another. There are photos that are being released of the
00:09secretary as she is testifying from inside this room. Can you please advise me as to whether or not that's
00:14permissible and consistent with the rules? Particularly given that we have asked for a public hearing. If there are photos
00:20that are being released of the secretary as she is testifying, can you please explain how that can occur?
00:25If you guys are doing that, I am done. You can hold me in contempt from now until the cows
00:29come home. This is just typical behavior.
00:31We will go off the record. Oh, for heaven's sake. So I would like to understand how that permissible. It
00:39doesn't matter. We all are abiding by the same rules. I will take that down. Yeah, well. I would like
00:44to take a break at this moment. Yeah, I'm done for now. Go off the record. Go off the record.
00:53The majority's time had approximately five minutes left and I believe that the witness or her counsel would like to
00:59make a quick statement.
01:00Thank you so much. We've just used the break because we learned during the process of these hearings that the
01:06committee was violating its own rules and members tweeting and sharing pictures of what is going on inside this closed
01:13hearing, the hearing that we have asked repeatedly to be open to the public.
01:16Chairman Comer was gracious enough to engage with me on this matter. We asked specifically to invite the president since
01:23the committee had already made decisions on its own interlaterally to release pictures and other things that are going on
01:28in this room indicated that he wanted to speak to that himself directly.
01:33I'd like to just say for the record, we find it unacceptable. We find it unprofessional and we find it
01:38unfair. We are looking forward to this being conducted under the rules and being conducted consistent with expectations of how
01:45members of Congress.
01:46I know take this matter so seriously and do it in that vein. We would also like to just indicate
01:51as a practical reality that we are here in good faith. We are counting on the good faith of all
01:56the members.
01:58Thank you. Chairman Comer. I'd like to state for the record, I've advised my members that no photos or videos
02:04during the deposition can be released. I understand the posted photo was taken before the deposition started. We will, that
02:13will not happen again. And we will look forward to continue with the deposition.
02:18I'd like to make just a clarification there, Mr. Chairman. It was taken in this room after the witness sat
02:24down. It is not a basis that because she had not started speaking that it would be appropriate for there
02:30to have been a release of anything that was occurring in this room.
02:33And we have made clear that that's not allowed. And I will also say we were disappointed that the Secretary's
02:41opening statement was leaked to the press before she even gave her opening statement.
02:46So the Secretary's statement was not leaked to the press. It was provided, as with other witnesses, including Mr. Wexner,
02:53who provided his before giving. Hers was given simultaneous.
02:56And so what we don't want is the Secretary to be treated any differently than other witnesses. That seems to
03:02be a consistent pattern, and we would love that pattern not to continue.
03:06We've gone to great lengths to make all the accommodations that you all have requested. So we will, again, the
03:15members have been advised,
03:16that is unacceptable. Thank you.
03:18So we look forward to continuing the definition. Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman. I appreciate you addressing it.
03:23Thank you, Member Garcia. Thank you. Now, I just want to add, it's completely unacceptable that oversight Republicans and its
03:31members in this moment chose to violate both committee rules and the agreement that they negotiated directly with Secretary Clinton.
03:38Now, the Clintons requested a public hearing specifically to avoid this exact situation.
03:44Now, Secretary Clinton has offered to continue speaking throughout the deposition if we also allow the press to come in
03:53and on the record.
03:55Now, the majority has continued to refuse this. I want to make very clear for the record that oversight Democrats
04:01agree today they should be allowed into the deposition.
04:05That's been our position from day one. Thank you.
04:08And with that, the majority will conclude its first hour. We'll go off the record.
04:12I understand Council has something that they would like to say before we get started.
04:17Yes, I would. First of all, I'd like to say I appreciate everyone being here today, but I want to
04:22start with we just learned that there has been a second violation of the promise that the chairman made with
04:29respect to no photos being taken in this room during this hearing.
04:35As you know, we have asked for and did ask Mr. Comer for the press to be invited in. They
04:41are sitting right outside.
04:42Literally, he has been speaking with them and we have been asked that they be invited in at the last
04:48break because we learned that there was a member who was sharing photos from inside this room in violation of
04:54this committee's own rules.
04:55We have now been presented with a second photo of the witness, Secretary Clinton, while she has been testifying in
05:05this room.
05:06That is completely inconsistent with the rules. It's completely in violation.
05:09And it's also in violation of the promise that Mr. Comer just made with respect to it would not happen
05:15again. And indeed it did.
05:17And so I would like to ensure that when we go back on the record and when Mr. Comer elects
05:21to rejoin the room, I know he has left for the record.
05:25I would like to be able to ensure that we address that or sorry, he has not left. He's down
05:29at the end.
05:30There's been a second violation, Mr. Chairman. So now I do really feel that it would be appropriate for the
05:35press to be invited in because someone has already violated the commitment and promise.
05:39You made that there would not be any further violations.
05:45I am confident that one of the individuals here can share with you a copy of the picture and I
05:50would rather that at this point we invite the press in.
05:55We don't know who's.
05:56We're going to, we're going to show the photo.
05:59It's from.
06:02I believe it's from the same influencer.
06:08Emily, Emily, go with, go with Andrew to make sure we have the same.
06:17And that's a good thing.
06:20That's it.
06:21We were saving your sick.
06:23I think it's for you.
06:27That's it.
06:27You were saving your sick.
06:27I think.
06:29Yes.
06:30Can you see?
06:57Mr chairman will you allow the press in at this time since there has been a second violation
07:02of your clear guidance that that no further pictures to consult to confirm with the chairman
07:08go off the record please that's how we have examined the second photo that was taken inside
07:14this room in violation of the committee's rules Mr chairman you have indicated that you will
07:19assure that that will not happen again Mr chairman we continue to believe that the remedy for this
07:25is to invite the press in at this juncture we believe that there is no reason not to do so
07:31we recognize that you continue to resist having the press join but if you would like we would
07:37welcome that otherwise we would welcome no further violations what was the last part you would love
07:43I know it's hard to hear without amplification no further violations no further violations but I
07:48will I would like to note one thing if I may a New York Times reporter tweeted that her dem
07:57member
07:57in the room and then she said you know that Maxwell is at Chelsea wedding because she was dating a
08:04friend who brought her as a plus one and all that so there's a Democrat member leaking to the press
08:09what's going on in here according to the uh uh Amy Carney so Mr Mr chairman thank you so much
08:18I know part of
08:19this is always about the tit for tat and I think that's what we're trying to address this is we're
08:23here
08:24and we're speaking with respect to the witness and what has been a violation of a photo of her inside
08:30this room I'm not trying to get in anybody else's first amendment rights when it comes to the photo
08:34please instruct your member to take the photo down until after thank you so much
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