Judiciary GOP pulls the plug on Conyers 'forums'

The Hill is reporting that Republicans will not give Conyers a committee room to hold his hearings on the Downing Street Minutes.

Sean McLaughlin, deputy chief of staff for Sensenbrenner, recently wrote to a minority staffer in more pointed language.

“I’m sitting here watching your ‘forum’ on C-SPAN,” McLaughlin wrote. “Just to let you know, it was your last. Don’t bother asking [for a room] again.”

A committee source said committee Democrats are still planning to hold the forums when they find other available space.

Not one to be deterred, Conyers has already found an alternative space:

HEARINGS ON DOWNING STREET MINUTES SET FOR 1 PM THURSDAY

Hearings to be held at DNC because Republicans Denying Democrats Use of Rooms on Hill

On Thursday June 16, 2005, at 1:30 p.m. in the Wasserman Room at 430 S Capitol St. SE, Washington, D.C., Rep. John Conyers, Jr., Ranking Member of the House Judiciary Committee, and other Congress Members will hold a hearing on the Downing Street Minutes and related evidence of efforts to cook the books on pre-war intelligence.

The hearings are being held at the Democratic National Committee because the Republicans controlling the House Judiciary Committee refused to permit the ranking Democratic Member to use a room on the Hill.

Contact info for Republican Members of the House Judiciary Committee can be found at Daily KOS .

UPDATE: The hearings on the Downing Street Minutes have been moved to 2:30 at the U.S. Capitol (still tomorrow). More information will be posted when I have it. Looks like the Republicans got too much negative press on this one, folks.

UPDATE II: The hearing is to held Thursday, June 16 at 2:30PM in room HC9, a small room in the Capitol. An overflow area will be at the DNC headquarters (430 S. Capitol St. SE, Washington DC 20003), which will be hooked up via TV or radio link. C-SPAN 3 will cover the event. (Courtesy of Terre at Daily KOS.)