Impeachment hearing flies off the rails as GOP lawmaker accuses House Judiciary counsel of bribery

Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-TX) disrupted testimony during Monday's impeachment hearing and suggested the Democratic majority's attorney had bribed the House Judiciary Committee to get his job.

Barry Berke, who has served as the special oversight counsel to the committee since February, was asking Republican counsel Stephen Castor about President Donald Trump's state of mind toward Joe Biden when Gohmert interrupted.

"The gentleman is not recognized," said committee chairman Jerry Nadler (D-NY), banging his gavel. "Mr. Berke has the time."

Gohmert complained that Nadler was ignoring House rules by allowing Berke to present an opening statement before the hearing and then question Castor.

"How many other rules are you going to disregard?" Gohmert said.

Nadler again warned Gohmert to suspend his remarks, but the Texas Republican continued complaining.

"This is not appropriate to have a witness be a questioner of somebody that was a witness when he was," Gohmert said, as Nadler banged his gavel. "It's just wrong."

"There is no rule or precedent for anybody being a witness and then getting to come up and question," he added. "The point of order is he's not appropriate to be up here asking questions."

Then Gohmert lobbed an accusation of impropriety by the Democrats and their attorney.

"How much money do you have to give to get to do that?" Gohmert said.