GOP Twice Shuts Down Senate Hearings

Using a little known and rarely used rule that requires hearing to adjourn after two hours unless there is unanimous approval, two Senate hearings exploring subjects sensitive to the Republican administration were arbitrarily shut down. Here's the tape.

This is not just about quashing an embarrassing investigation. In line with the views of David Addington and John Yoo and Dick Cheney and George Bush, this is about defiance of the constitutionally mandated balance of powers in the US government. When one party blocks investigations into the actions of the other's White House, effectively it blocks Congress's constitutional right of oversight.

I was around during Watergate. At that time, everyone at least played by the rules set by the Constitution. Not so much anymore.

Anybody care? I mean, it is your country.