Who?
Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-VA) — Ranking Member, Oversight Committee’s Subcommittee on Cybersecurity, IT & Government Innovation
LISTEN: Laslo & Connolly
Ask a Pol asks:
You’re co-chairing a Nov. 13th UAP hearing with Innovation Subcommittee Chair Nancy Mace?
Key Connolly:
“I'm not co-chairing it,” Rep. Gerry Connolly exclusively tells Ask a Pol. “I don't control the agenda. She does.”
ICYMI — Nancy Mace chairing Nov. 13 UFO hearing
“Your poor fucking staff”
So you don't even know about this UAP hearing yet?
“There's no consultation at all,” Connolly replies.
How many days in advance do you get for a hearing?
“Several.”
Several? A handful?
“Yeah,” the congressman says.
Your poor fucking staff.
“I know,” Connolly tells Ask a Pol. “They set the time. They decide the witnesses. We get one witness. They get all the rest. I mean, they control everything.”
Caught our ear:
“You know more than I do right now,” UAP hearing Ranking Member Connolly tells Ask a Pol.
Below find a rough transcript of Ask a Pol’s exclusive interview with Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-VA), slightly edited for clarity.
SUBSCRIBER-ONLY CONTENT*
*Student? Lost your gig? Hard times? Been there. Got you. No questions asked. Just ping us.
TRANSCRIPT: Rep. Gerry Connolly
SCENE: Ask a Pol’s Matt Laslo joins Connolly as he’s exiting the US Capitol at the end of September.
Matt Laslo: “So you co-chair a subcommittee with Ms. Mace?”
Connolly nods affirmatively.
ML: “On Nov. 13th you're co-chairing a UAP hearing?”
Gerry Connolly: “UAP?”
ML: “UAP or UFO.”
GC: “I'm not.”
ML: “You're not?”
GC: “I'm not co-chairing it.”
ICYMI —>
ML: “It's your committee, though — your subcommittee?”
GC: “I don't control the agenda. She does…”
ML: “Well, she'll be chairing it…”
GC: “Correct.”
ML: “So, you haven't…?”
GC: “No, she doesn't consult us.”
ML: “Interesting. When does she — interesting. How long — it's like it's so partisan around here that there's just no dialogue?”
GC: “She has not consulted me on hearings. She made a promise to me two years ago in Munich at the security conference. All I asked for was regular Oversight hearings on the FITARA (Federal Information Technology Acquisition Reform Act) scorecard, which we've done — we've done 18 of them. She promised me she'd do it — two a year — she's done 27 hearings otherwise.”
ML: “Yeah?”
GC: “And she did not keep her word. Because we have never had a hearing — not one. And we should have had four. And, you know, I find that ironic that her rationale for voting against [former Speaker] Kevin McCarthy was that he broke his word to her — well, she broke her word to me. And I have a witness — it was a witnessed conversation.”
ML: “So that's interesting, because, you know, she’s the new chair for the UFO — so you don't even know about this yet?”
Connolly shakes head no.
ML: “I guess I broke the news last week.”
GC: “There's no consultation at all.”
ML: “How many days advance do you get that you're having a hearing?”
GC: “Several.”
ML: “Several? A handful?”
GC: “Yeah.”
ML: “Your poor fucking staff!”
GC: “I know. She sets — they set the time. They decide the witnesses. We get one witness. They get all the rest. I mean, they control everything.”
ML: “So you’re going to have to get a witness the week of? Or…”
GC: “I don’t know.”
ML: “Yeah? Interesting.”
GC: “You know more than I do right now.”
ML: “Shame.”
GC: “It's raining.”
Connolly reached the Capitol exit and notices it’s raining.
ML: “Well, text me once you get a formal indication of it, and I'll fill you in more. Have a good one, sir.”
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