Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) and 2 dozen GOP members stormed a secure impeachment hearing on Wednesday morning — violating a witness’s security and breaking protocol — despite not actually being Committee members.

The impeachment hearing is being held in a sensitive compartmented information facility or SCIF, similar to the set up in Trump’s “Winter White House” in Mar-a-Lago.

Impeachment proceedings are being held in a SCIF for two reasons:

1. To protect the witnesses from White House interference
2. To prevent eavesdropping which allows those waiting to testify to calibrate their stories to match what has already been said.

The protocols of a SCIF require those entering the room or facility to have proper security clearance. Plus, items that can be used to record or take photographs—like cellphones—are strictly prohibited.

However, a couple dozen Republicans following the lead of Gaetz, took it upon themselves to disregard these protocols and barge into the room on Wednesday morning, many with cellphones in tow. This act not only violated the rules of the SCIF, but it also compromised a witness’s security and delayed official proceedings.

This isn’t even the first time Gaetz has attempted to crash impeachment hearings. 

Led by @MattGaetz and assisted by @SteveScalise, House Republicans stage a publicity stunt in which they try to storm the doors of the House Intelligence Committee as they hold the Trump impeachment inquiry. This is an attempt to squelch the negative news about quid pro quo, etc pic.twitter.com/4EsfsVo38k

— Oliver Willis (@owillis) October 23, 2019