Why do members of Congress in committee hearings ask witnesses the same question multiple times?
I must've seen at least 3 Congressmen ask Michael Cohen, President Trump's former personal attorney, who Individual 1 was, despite the fact that in the beginning he had already said it was Donald Trump, and despite the fact that previous members had already asked him that question, as well.
What is the reason for this? What benefit does it have when the statement is already in the record?
congress
edited 2 hours ago
Michael_B
7,36242128
asked 3 hours ago
MehrdadMehrdad
519414
add a comment |
I must've seen at least 3 Congressmen ask Michael Cohen, President Trump's former personal attorney, who Individual 1 was, despite the fact that in the beginning he had already said it was Donald Trump, and despite the fact that previous members had already asked him that question, as well.
What is the reason for this? What benefit does it have when the statement is already in the record?
congress
edited 2 hours ago
Michael_B
7,36242128
asked 3 hours ago
MehrdadMehrdad
519414
add a comment |
I must've seen at least 3 Congressmen ask Michael Cohen, President Trump's former personal attorney, who Individual 1 was, despite the fact that in the beginning he had already said it was Donald Trump, and despite the fact that previous members had already asked him that question, as well.
What is the reason for this? What benefit does it have when the statement is already in the record?
congress
edited 2 hours ago
Michael_B
7,36242128
asked 3 hours ago
MehrdadMehrdad
519414
I must've seen at least 3 Congressmen ask Michael Cohen, President Trump's former personal attorney, who Individual 1 was, despite the fact that in the beginning he had already said it was Donald Trump, and despite the fact that previous members had already asked him that question, as well.
What is the reason for this? What benefit does it have when the statement is already in the record?
congress
congress
edited 2 hours ago
Michael_B
7,36242128
asked 3 hours ago
MehrdadMehrdad
519414
edited 2 hours ago
Michael_B
7,36242128
asked 3 hours ago
MehrdadMehrdad
519414
edited 2 hours ago
Michael_B
7,36242128
edited 2 hours ago
Michael_B
7,36242128
edited 2 hours ago
Michael_B
7,36242128
7,36242128
asked 3 hours ago
MehrdadMehrdad
519414
asked 3 hours ago
MehrdadMehrdad
519414
asked 3 hours ago
MehrdadMehrdad
519414
519414
add a comment |
add a comment |
1 Answer
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You're assuming that the questions are asked solely for the public record.
Here's another reason...
Members of Congress want video of themselves asking good questions that will be broadcast by their local news media and / or used in campaign commercials.
And another...
Often times you'll notice that committee seats are empty during hearings. That's because members come and go during the hearing. It's possible that one member asks a question that was asked by another member earlier in the day before the first member arrived. (Although I don't think that was the case in the Cohen hearing, as the entire committee seemed to be present for the duration.)
answered 2 hours ago
Michael_BMichael_B
7,36242128
2
I'm going to +1 this because I think it's true, or at least an extremely plausible reason to invalidate OP's assumptions. It's too bad there probably aren't many Congressmen that just straight up admit this, though.
– zibadawa timmy
2 hours ago
Asking the same question in a hearing where everybody knows it's been asked before is admission enough. They don't care about the people in that room (politically speaking). They answer to their constituents and they want their sound bite.
– Michael_B
2 hours ago
add a comment |
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1 Answer
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active
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1 Answer
1
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
You're assuming that the questions are asked solely for the public record.
Here's another reason...
Members of Congress want video of themselves asking good questions that will be broadcast by their local news media and / or used in campaign commercials.
And another...
Often times you'll notice that committee seats are empty during hearings. That's because members come and go during the hearing. It's possible that one member asks a question that was asked by another member earlier in the day before the first member arrived. (Although I don't think that was the case in the Cohen hearing, as the entire committee seemed to be present for the duration.)
answered 2 hours ago
Michael_BMichael_B
7,36242128
2
I'm going to +1 this because I think it's true, or at least an extremely plausible reason to invalidate OP's assumptions. It's too bad there probably aren't many Congressmen that just straight up admit this, though.
– zibadawa timmy
2 hours ago
Asking the same question in a hearing where everybody knows it's been asked before is admission enough. They don't care about the people in that room (politically speaking). They answer to their constituents and they want their sound bite.
– Michael_B
2 hours ago
add a comment |
You're assuming that the questions are asked solely for the public record.
Here's another reason...
Members of Congress want video of themselves asking good questions that will be broadcast by their local news media and / or used in campaign commercials.
And another...
Often times you'll notice that committee seats are empty during hearings. That's because members come and go during the hearing. It's possible that one member asks a question that was asked by another member earlier in the day before the first member arrived. (Although I don't think that was the case in the Cohen hearing, as the entire committee seemed to be present for the duration.)
answered 2 hours ago
Michael_BMichael_B
7,36242128
2
I'm going to +1 this because I think it's true, or at least an extremely plausible reason to invalidate OP's assumptions. It's too bad there probably aren't many Congressmen that just straight up admit this, though.
– zibadawa timmy
2 hours ago
Asking the same question in a hearing where everybody knows it's been asked before is admission enough. They don't care about the people in that room (politically speaking). They answer to their constituents and they want their sound bite.
– Michael_B
2 hours ago
add a comment |
You're assuming that the questions are asked solely for the public record.
Here's another reason...
Members of Congress want video of themselves asking good questions that will be broadcast by their local news media and / or used in campaign commercials.
And another...
Often times you'll notice that committee seats are empty during hearings. That's because members come and go during the hearing. It's possible that one member asks a question that was asked by another member earlier in the day before the first member arrived. (Although I don't think that was the case in the Cohen hearing, as the entire committee seemed to be present for the duration.)
answered 2 hours ago
Michael_BMichael_B
7,36242128
You're assuming that the questions are asked solely for the public record.
Here's another reason...
Members of Congress want video of themselves asking good questions that will be broadcast by their local news media and / or used in campaign commercials.
And another...
Often times you'll notice that committee seats are empty during hearings. That's because members come and go during the hearing. It's possible that one member asks a question that was asked by another member earlier in the day before the first member arrived. (Although I don't think that was the case in the Cohen hearing, as the entire committee seemed to be present for the duration.)
answered 2 hours ago
Michael_BMichael_B
7,36242128
edited 1 hour ago
answered 2 hours ago
Michael_BMichael_B
7,36242128
answered 2 hours ago
Michael_BMichael_B
7,36242128
answered 2 hours ago
Michael_BMichael_B
7,36242128
7,36242128
2
I'm going to +1 this because I think it's true, or at least an extremely plausible reason to invalidate OP's assumptions. It's too bad there probably aren't many Congressmen that just straight up admit this, though.
– zibadawa timmy
2 hours ago
Asking the same question in a hearing where everybody knows it's been asked before is admission enough. They don't care about the people in that room (politically speaking). They answer to their constituents and they want their sound bite.
– Michael_B
2 hours ago
add a comment |
2
I'm going to +1 this because I think it's true, or at least an extremely plausible reason to invalidate OP's assumptions. It's too bad there probably aren't many Congressmen that just straight up admit this, though.
– zibadawa timmy
2 hours ago
Asking the same question in a hearing where everybody knows it's been asked before is admission enough. They don't care about the people in that room (politically speaking). They answer to their constituents and they want their sound bite.
– Michael_B
2 hours ago
2
2
I'm going to +1 this because I think it's true, or at least an extremely plausible reason to invalidate OP's assumptions. It's too bad there probably aren't many Congressmen that just straight up admit this, though.
– zibadawa timmy
2 hours ago
I'm going to +1 this because I think it's true, or at least an extremely plausible reason to invalidate OP's assumptions. It's too bad there probably aren't many Congressmen that just straight up admit this, though.
– zibadawa timmy
2 hours ago
Asking the same question in a hearing where everybody knows it's been asked before is admission enough. They don't care about the people in that room (politically speaking). They answer to their constituents and they want their sound bite.
– Michael_B
2 hours ago
Asking the same question in a hearing where everybody knows it's been asked before is admission enough. They don't care about the people in that room (politically speaking). They answer to their constituents and they want their sound bite.
– Michael_B
2 hours ago
add a comment |
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