The impeachment saga jumped another notch in intensity yesterday when Adam Schiff ordered Republican Matt Gaetz out of the Intelligence Committee hearing.  The committee was scheduled to hear testimony from Fiona Hill, a former National Security Council adviser.

There's little question as to why Schiff ejected him.  He's hoping for testimony that he can distort on behalf of his quixotic impeachment quest, something that Gaetz, who has a national following, would render difficult to bring off.

As for Gaetz himself, he sits on the Judiciary Committee, which traditionally handles matters such as impeachments, and unquestionably has a legitimate interest in the proceedings.  Through this action, Schiff is clearly violating accepted congressional protocol.

He may well be aware of this.  It's odd that Schiff, who can normally be depended on to give a thousand-word soliloquy about putting his shoes on in the morning, had absolutely nothing to say about the matter.  He's likely hoping that if he remains quiet, it'll pass without any notice.

This is unlikely, since Gaetz is a notable firebrand with a reputation for backing off from nothing and nobody.  On being shown the door of the committee room, he immediately stepped in front of the cameras to say, "It's not like I'm on agriculture.  What are the Democrats so afraid of?"

He had more to add later on Twitter:

Judiciary Chairman @JerryNadler claimed to have begun the impeachment inquiry weeks ago.  Now, his own Judiciary members aren't even allowed to participate in it.

And yes — my constituents want me actively involved in stopping the #KangarooCourtCoup run by Shifty Schiff.

That's rough, and clear evidence that Schiff has, not for the first time in this little exercise, stumbled over his own two feet.  It'll be interesting to see how this incident works out.  But at the moment, it's further evidence of Schiff's abject ineptness.  I wouldn't be surprised to see him end up impeaching himself.