Fiona Hill Transcript Includes Account of Matt Gaetz Getting Kicked Out of Hearing

Alex Wong/Getty Images

The newly-released transcript of Fiona Hill’s closed-door testimony to Congress kicks off with a back-and-forth over Rep. Matt Gaetz barging in and eventually getting kicked out.

The testimony begins with House Intelligence Chairman Adam Schiff welcoming Hill to the hearing and reading off her credentials as an adviser on Russia policy for President Donald Trump’s administration.

Before the hearing actually begins however, Schiff notices Gaetz is in the room. Gaetz does not sit on the any of the House committees that were given access to the closed door hearings (Intel, Foreign Affairs and Oversight).

CHAIRMAN (Schiff) Mr. Gaetz, you’re not permitted to be in the room.

MR. GAETZ: I am on the Judiciary Committee.

THE CHAIRMAN: Judiciary Committee is not a part of this hearing.

MR. GAETZ: I thought the Judiciary Committee had jurisdiction over impeachment.

THE CHAIRMAN: Mr. Gaetz, you’re not permitted to be in the room. Please leave.

Republican Rep. Jim Jordan then chimes in and attempts to intervene on Gaetz’s behalf.

MR. JORDAN: Mr. Chairman, really?

THE CHAIRMAN: Yes, really.

MR. GAETZ : You’re going to include Members of Congress on committees that have roles of impeachment–

THE CHAIRMAN: Mr. Gaetz, take your statement to the press. They do you no good here. So, please, absent yourself.

MR. GAETZ: You’re going to have someone remove me from the hearing? THE CHAIRMAN: You’re going to remove yourself , Mr. Gaetz.

MR. JORDAN: Mr. Gaetz is going to stay and listen to the testimony.

THE CHAIRMAN: Mr. Gaetz, you’re going to leave the room.

This goes on for some time, with Schiff citing a rule about Gaetz not being allowed in the room, and Gaetz questioning the existence of the rules before Gaetz’s final recorded comments on page 9.

THE CHAIRMAN: We’ll wait until Mr. Gaetz leaves before we begin. I do want to say that this dilatory tactic will come out of the minority’s time for questioning.

MR. GAETZ: This isn’t dilatory. You can begin any time you like.

THE CHAIRMAN: We’ re going to begin the clock. This will come out of the minority’s time for questions.

MR. JORDAN: Well, I had a statement I wanted to get to when you interrupted me.

THE CHAIRMAN: We’re not back on the record.

There is then a page break and a timestamp indicating about an hour has passed, with Schiff saying on page 11 “the record should reflect that Mr. Gaetz has left the room.”