Of all the things that went through Congressman Russ Fulcher’s mind when he took office in January, he didn’t imagine himself storming into a committee meeting as part of a highly publicized protest.
Well … as defensive linemen say to rookie running backs after the first hard hit, “Welcome to the NFL.” And as political veterans might tell Fulcher, “Welcome to politics, congressional style.” There’s no concussion protocol that goes with Fulcher’s line of work, but politics is a contact sport.
It’s not in Fulcher’s congenial nature to cause such commotion. He came to Congress in January wanting to reach out to everyone within howdyin’ range – Republican or Democrat. Fulcher was introduced to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi by fellow Idaho Congressman Mike Simpson, and pleasantries were exchanged.
Of course, that was months before President Trump’s controversial call to the Ukrainian president, which produced the Democratic Party’s new rallying cry for impeachment.
“I am not a rookie anymore,” Fulcher proclaims.
And Fulcher was not with a group of rookies when Republicans decided to protest Intelligence Chairman’s Adam Schiff’s decision for a closed-door session with a Defense Department official. In general, Republicans had enough of Schiff and the tactics the Democrats were using in their impeachment inquiry.
“I am a tactful guy, and this sort of thing is not in my nature,” Fulcher says. “But if you take away the responsibility I have for the people who put me here, then I have a problem with that. I can be aggressive.”
He has no issue with the committee’s investigation. “If there’s something wrong, and there’s an impeachable offense, then we need to look at it,” Fulcher says. “I’m not against the inquiry, I’m against the secrecy and the process by which they are conducting it.”
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