A hearing is ostensibly a chance for parties to present their case or establish a base set of facts, but House Republicans have already chosen their facts and declared Planned Parenthood guilty of... something.
Don't take it from me; take it from the House Judiciary Committee which will hold the first hearing on Planned Parenthood prompted by the fraudulent videos released by anti-abortion activists.
The House panel announced that it will hold a hearing called “Planned Parenthood Exposed: Examining the Horrific Abortion Practices at the Nation's Largest Abortion Provider."
The hearing, which takes place on lawmakers' second day back from recess, will be the first of many on Planned Parenthood this fall.
"Planned Parenthood Exposed: Confirming What We Already Think We know"
You may notice that fetal tissue research was not included in the damning name of the first House hearing on the issue.
It's possible they simply ran out of room in the title. It's also possible this hearing and each subsequent hearing will be nothing more than the latest inquisition in the war against a woman's right to choose. Fetal tissue research may hardly even be discussed.
If House Republicans declare Planned Parenthood guilty during committee hearings, can they consent to a temporary government funding bill that includes funding for Planned Parenthood?