"They on their own accord refused to participate in the exercise," Hatch said about the Democrats on the committee. "They have nobody to blame but themselves."

Hatch said the Senate Parliamentarian had approved of the procedural maneuver, and insisted to reporters after the exercise was a "just utilization" of the rules. "This is all approved by the Parliamentarian," he said. "I wouldn't have done it if it hadn't been."...

Hatch chuckled when confronted by questions from reporters about the little notice that the public received about Wednesday's meeting. "You were scrambling? Well, you know, that's neither here nor there," he said.