Does any anyone believe that the impeachment rules are set up to gain the truth?

You can't even write a coherent sentence, can you? That's a fact.

As chairman of the proceedings, he already had that power. He just decided he was going to use it. And he can stop any witness from testifying--GOP or otherwise--if their testimony does not have probative value. In other words, only testimony that is germane to the case will be allowed. As in, Schiff doesn't want the proceedings to be dragged out while some Trump lackey fulminates about Hillary sending emails or the liberal deep state.

While this is not a criminal trial, many of the rules for testimony are similar. A defense witness can only testify about the act or acts the defendant is accused of. The defense can't, for example, call the defendant's third-grade teacher to the stand, nor can it call a newspaper columnist who wrote something praising the defendant.

There is also the issue of witness intimidation. Trump has threatenened various dire consequences for anyone who dares to testify against him. He has also prodded and pushed other people to testify for him. That's why Schiff is invoking his power to say whose testimony is relevant and will be allowed.

That said, Schiff is allowing a long list of Republican witnesses.

Kevin, is Schiff's objective to find the truth, or to do damage to Trump.  I'll expect a dodge of this question.

"That said, Schiff is allowing a long list of Republican witnesses."

He is allowing 3 of 9.  That is not a long list.

He is not allowing the 2 key people who are at the heart of the issue.  He won't allow hunter Biden & the whistlelower (even though he got to interview the person on his own, prior to this becoming public).

What is he hiding? 

Tom, everyone on this site knows that Schiff is hiding the truth.

Hunter Biden has absolutely nothing to do with the subject of the trial.  And the whistleblower is protected by whistleblower laws that scumbag Republicans want to trample over.     Good for Schiff for keeping the trial on point  and respecting federal law (judges do the same thing in regular court).

Of course, the bone-spur coward is free to testify....and his cowardly chief of staff...and his cowardly State Department head...and his cowardly personal attourney.    I left lots of space below for Boilerman and Tom to object to them hiding truth while other people have the courage to testify under oath.

So...according to PJ claiming 'Executive Privlege' in an impeachment inquiry is now an impeachable offense.  These are co-equal branches of government.  There is a legal process 'cowardly scumbag' demorats can go through to test whether Congress can force testomimony from another branch of government during an impeachment.  It's called issuing a subpoena and suing to ask courts to enforce it if privlege is claimed.  They haven't done that.  Why not?  It's a lot easier just to make up brand new 'Impeachable Offenses'.

Well they did issue subponeas, sweetheart - 

https://time.com/5703748/trump-impeachment-subpoenas/

And the bone-spur coward gave an order to ignore them and hide the truth.   

What else can I help with today?    

"Hunter Biden has absolutely nothing to do with the subject of the trial".  Really?  President Trump requesting Ukraine to get to the bottom of the Bidens' possible political influence peddling scandal is at the very core of the subject of the inquiry.  That's what got your panties in a wad. 

Note also that this is not a trial.  It is an inquiry.  It is a show trial.  The real trial will take place in the Senate where President Trump's Lawyers can defend him.  Where gossip and hearsay won't be allowed.  Where The Biden's and the so called Whistleblower and Adam Schiff himself will be called to testify as well as others involved in Demorat efforts to enlist Ukraine to help sabotage Trump in the 2016 elections.

You conveniently left off the part where they can go to court and see if the Judiciary will force the Executive Branch to appear.  But they didn't do that, did they honey bunny?  Why not?