emptywheel

Allow me to disagree slightly with @alvarombedoya

Hearings are highly scripted and feature lots of predictable questions with knowable answers. This is similar to cross-examination, however. Recall the old warning not to ask questions you don't know the answer to.

In any setting of great consequence, all players try to script their performance. The drama doesn't come from a lack of scripting but from the fact that despite scripting you don't actually know what people will say IRL.

Oversight hearings are fact-finding, and Alvaro's suggested questions later in the thread are good examples of how they can be effective.

There is also a lot of posturing and evading and grandstanding and passing the buck. And that's just the opening statements! (Ba dum bum)

But that is a small price to pay, IMHO, for accountability to be conducted in public view by elected representatives.

Hey! I agree with you. I can be a little too cynical about this stuff. But you're right, there is a narrow band for fact-finding and a good congressional hearing can bring that out.