Erin Burnett Confronts Swalwell Over Chaotic, ‘Depressing’ Lewandowski Hearing: Did It ‘Hurt Your Cause?’
CNN’s Erin Burnett confronted Democratic Congressman Eric Swalwell over the effectiveness of a “pretty depressing” House Judiciary Committee hearing with former Trump aide Corey Lewandowski that repeatedly devolved into chaos and petty sniping: “Could exchanges like that have hurt your cause?”
On Out Front, Burnett played several clips from the just-concluded hearing, which was the first step in the Democrats new impeachment inquiry of President Donald Trump. The video showed a contentious and chaotic back-and-forth between Swalwell and Lewandowski where both parties seemed more interested in posturing than serving the public.
“I have to say there were humorous moments, but then I think as an American citizen it was pretty depressing,” Burnett said, before playing a clip of the pair. “What did you accomplish with that, Congressman?”
“Again, you’re trying to bring the [Mueller] report to life because the report is a lengthy document and most Americans just, you know, understandably don’t have time to read it and then look at it,” Swalwell explained.
Burnett challenged that idea, however, saying the sniping and partisan theatrics of the hearings got in the way of that stated goal. “I understand the point that you make as Democrats and you say people haven’t read it and you want to bring it to life,” she said, “but things got muddled today and it didn’t come to life.”
After playing another clip of an exchange where a Judiciary Committee member imprecisely questions Lewandowski, allowing him to parry and deny, Burnett wondered if the hearing might have backfired on the Democrats seeking to pursue impeachment.
“People aren’t watching that carefully when things like that happen,” Burnett warned. “Could exchanges like that have hurt your cause?”
“It’s an imperfect proceeding. You have humans doing it and there will be mistakes,” Swalwell conceded. “If the opposite is not having the hearings and letting the lawlessness continue, I don’t want that.
Watch the video above, via CNN.
