White House says it will refuse to cooperate with impeachment inquiry

[webfact]

White House says it will refuse to cooperate with impeachment inquiry

By Richard Cowan and David Morgan

 

FILE PHOTO: U.S. Ambassador to the EU Gordon Sondland poses ahead of a meeting with European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker and White House senior adviser Jared Kushner (unseen) at the EU Commission headquarters in Brussels, Belgium, June 4, 2019. Picture taken June 4, 2019. REUTERS/Francois Lenoir

 

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The White House said on Tuesday it would refuse to cooperate with a "baseless, unconstitutional" congressional impeachment inquiry, setting Republican President Donald Trump on a collision course with the Democratic-led U.S. House of Representatives.

 

In a letter to House Democratic leaders, White House lawyer Pat Cipollone cited in part the decision by lawmakers to proceed without a full vote of the House of Representatives.

 

"You have designed and implemented your inquiry in a manner that violates fundamental fairness and constitutionally mandated due process," he said, adding House Democrats had left Trump "no choice."

 

"In order to fulfill his duties to the American people, the Constitution, the Executive Branch and all future occupants of the Office of the Presidency, President Trump and his administration cannot participate in your partisan and unconstitutional inquiry under these circumstances," he said.

 

The letter came shortly after the Trump administration abruptly blocked a key witness in the Ukraine scandal from appearing before a congressional impeachment inquiry.

 

The U.S. State Department said the U.S. ambassador to the European Union, Gordon Sondland, a Trump political donor, would not be allowed to appear, even though he had already flown from Europe to do so. Trump decried the Democratic-led inquiry into whether he abused his office in the pursuit of personal political gain as a "kangaroo court."

 

Democratic lawmakers denounced the effort to block Sondland's testimony, calling it an attempt to obstruct their inquiry and said they would subpoena Sondland, to compel him to submit to questions. The State Department did not respond to requests for comment on why Sondland had been blocked from speaking to lawmakers just hours before his scheduled appearance.

 

The move and subsequent letter were the White House's most aggressive responses yet to the inquiry, which has cast a pall over Trump's campaign to win back the White House in 2020. A whistleblower complaint about a July 25 phone call in which Trump pressed his Ukrainian counterpart, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, to investigate his political rival, former Vice President Joe Biden, prompted the inquiry.

 

Biden is a leading candidate among Democrats seeking their party's presidential nomination to face Trump in next year's election.

 

The investigation could lead to the approval of articles of impeachment - or formal charges - against Trump in the House. A trial on whether to remove him from office would then be held in the U.S. Senate. Republicans who control the Senate have shown little appetite for ousting Trump.

 

'KANGAROO COURT'

Trump has denied he did anything wrong in the phone call.

 

In the letter, White House lawyer Cipollone described the inquiry as "contrived" and called it "constitutionally invalid and a violation of due process."

 

He said the inquiry was "a naked political strategy" designed to reverse the 2016 election and influence the November 2020 election.

 

"Your transparent rush to judgment, lack of democratically accountable authorization, and violation of basic rights in the current proceedings make clear the illegitimate, partisan purpose" of the inquiry, the letter said.

 

Legal experts said the U.S. Constitution gives the House broad discretion to decide how to conduct an impeachment investigation and that the Supreme Court would not second-guess the procedures Congress adopts.

 

"They can do the investigation in more or less any order they want," said Frank Bowman, a law professor at the University of Missouri and the author of a book on impeachment.

 

The Trump administration on Tuesday blocked an ambassador from testifying to the U.S. House of Representatives’ impeachment investigation of President Donald Trump’s dealings with Ukraine, a move top House Democrats vowed to counter with a subpoena. Jonah Green reports.

 

The White House letter aligned with a growing strategy by Trump's advisers to stonewall lawmakers' demands for witnesses and documents, question the legality of the inquiry and insist that while Trump's phone call was a mistake, it was not impeachable.

 

Sondland's lawyer, Robert Luskin, said in a statement that his client "stands ready to testify on short notice, whenever he is permitted to appear."

 

"The president is obstructing Congress from getting the facts. That is an abuse of power to act in this way," Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi told reporters in Seattle.

 

A Reuters/Ipsos opinion poll conducted on Monday and Tuesday found support for impeachment unchanged among all Americans -holding at 45% since last week - but rising among Democrats. Opposition to impeachment also dropped by 2 percentage points from last week to 39%.

 

Among those who identify as Democrats, 79% said Trump should be impeached, up 5 percentage points from a similar poll that ran Sept. 26 to 30. Only 12% of Republicans and about one in three independents supported impeachment, which is mostly unchanged.

 

Trump defended the decision not to allow Sondland to testify, writing on Twitter: "I would love to send Ambassador Sondland, a really good man and great American, to testify, but unfortunately he would be testifying before a totally compromised kangaroo court, where Republicans' rights have been taken away, and true facts are not allowed out for the public ... to see."

 

Democrats view Sondland as a key witness who can help shed light on whether Trump withheld military aid to Ukraine as part of an effort pressure them to investigate Biden and his son, Hunter Biden. Trump has denied any linkage.

 

According to text messages released by House committee leaders last week between Sondland and Trump's former envoy to Ukraine, the two U.S. diplomats sought to set strict conditions for Zelenskiy meeting Trump at the White House, including Ukraine drafting a statement committing it to carrying out the investigations sought by Trump.

 

Sondland placed a call to Trump after a top American diplomat in Ukraine expressed concern that Washington was linking the U.S. military aid to a request for an investigation that would help Trump's political campaign, according to a person familiar with the matter.

 

Sondland responded to the diplomat's text five hours later: "The President has been crystal clear no quid pro quo’s of any kind. I suggest we stop the back and forth by text."

 

The Sondland interview would have followed those of officials including the former U.S. special envoy for Ukraine, Kurt Volker, and Michael Atkinson, the inspector general of the U.S. intelligence community.

 

A career diplomat, Marie Yovanovitch, is scheduled to meet with the committees behind closed doors on Friday. Yovanovitch was the U.S. ambassador to Ukraine until Trump recalled her in May before her term was up, after the president's supporters questioned her loyalty.

 

A second whistleblower has come forward with direct knowledge of the allegations about Trump's efforts to get Ukraine to probe Biden.

 

Congressional staff and lawyers for the first whistleblower are close to making final arrangements for the witness to speak to congressional investigators away from Capitol Hill as early as this week, a source close to the parties said on Tuesday.

 

(Reporting by Richard Cowan and David Morgan; Additional reporting by Patricia Zengerle, Makini Brice, Lisa Lambert, Mark Hosenball and Steve Holland in Washington and Karen Freifeld in New York; Writing by Doina Chiacu and John Whitesides; Editing by Cynthia Osterman and Peter Cooney)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2019-10-09

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[thaibeachlovers]

White House says it will refuse to cooperate with impeachment inquiry

 

[TopDeadSenter]

Great news. Anybody could see this whole farce was a political witch hunt borne by a desperate realization the dems have no chance in the 2020 election. Trump is absolutely right to give it the respect it deserves - zero. 

 Now time for Schiff, Pelosi, Pelosi's son, Biden, Biden's son and the rest of them to face the music. Corruption is bad.

[Samui Bodoh]

"...Legal experts said the U.S. Constitution gives the House broad discretion to decide how to conduct an impeachment investigation and that the Supreme Court would not second-guess the procedures Congress adopts.

"They can do the investigation in more or less any order they want," said Frank Bowman, a law professor at the University of Missouri and the author of a book on impeachment..."

 

It is truly stunning to see the continual breaking of Democratic norms occurring in plain sight. It is even more stunning to see it occurring in silence from the Republican party; the Republican party has run for years on a platform of Rule of Law, Limited Government and respect for Law and Order. In one of history's truly great bouts of cynicism, the Republicans wailed against "Executive Over-Reach" by Obama amid concerns over the "Imperial Presidency", yet somehow don't seem to have a problem with it under Trump.

 

While the US does have a written constitution, its system of Governance relies heavily on the implied acceptance of many norms to allow it to function and on the parties/congressmen's pledge to enforce them. Sadly those norms, in this case the right of Congress to provide over-sight and to investigate an Administration, are being ignored and the US judiciary does not have the ability to work rapidly enough to meaningfully arbitrate the disputes. Put another way, the Trump policy of stone-walling each and every action by the Congress renders the US system of Government useless on a practical level, thus depriving Americans of the proverbial 'Check and Balances' they they believe they have, and installing an Administration that is De Facto is un-bound and un-checked. Is the US under Trump still Democratic? That should be a ridiculous question, but give it some thought; without oversight...

 

How does the US deal with this issue? The answer lies with the Republican party in congress stepping up to its constitutional duties and providing a counter-weight to the Trump Administration. However, to date the Republican party has not fulfilled its obligations, but has enabled the shredding of norms in clear contrast to its actions and rhetoric of the Obama years.

 

The actions of several members of the Republican party in the Nixon years have been called "Profiles in Courage" as members stood to put country over party and did the right thing. The current Republican party, with very few exceptions, is not acting in a similar vein.

 

It is a violation of the oath taken by Congressmen.

 

it is a dereliction of duty of the job of a Congressman.

 

It is a display of weapons-grade hypocrisy.

 

 

 

[PatOngo]

Put your hand on your heart's, wrap yourselves in Ol' Glory, make sure your bump stock AR15 is loaded, send a donation to the NRA and God Bless America!

[Sujo]

This must make trumps supporters sad. They have been saying impeachment is bad for the dems as all the dirty laundry will come out.

 

Now they will have to do backflips.

[Kelsall]

Historic.  Good job, President Trump!

 

Trump to Pelosi and Schiff:  Shove it!

[Kelsall]

50 minutes ago, Samui Bodoh said:

"...Legal experts said the U.S. Constitution gives the House broad discretion to decide how to conduct an impeachment investigation and that the Supreme Court would not second-guess the procedures Congress adopts.

"They can do the investigation in more or less any order they want," said Frank Bowman, a law professor at the University of Missouri and the author of a book on impeachment..."

 

It is truly stunning to see the continual breaking of Democratic norms occurring in plain sight. It is even more stunning to see it occurring in silence from the Republican party; the Republican party has run for years on a platform of Rule of Law, Limited Government and respect for Law and Order. In one of history's truly great bouts of cynicism, the Republicans wailed against "Executive Over-Reach" by Obama amid concerns over the "Imperial Presidency", yet somehow don't seem to have a problem with it under Trump.

 

While the US does have a written constitution, its system of Governance relies heavily on the implied acceptance of many norms to allow it to function and on the parties/congressmen's pledge to enforce them. Sadly those norms, in this case the right of Congress to provide over-sight and to investigate an Administration, are being ignored and the US judiciary does not have the ability to work rapidly enough to meaningfully arbitrate the disputes. Put another way, the Trump policy of stone-walling each and every action by the Congress renders the US system of Government useless on a practical level, thus depriving Americans of the proverbial 'Check and Balances' they they believe they have, and installing an Administration that is De Facto is un-bound and un-checked. Is the US under Trump still Democratic? That should be a ridiculous question, but give it some thought; without oversight...

 

How does the US deal with this issue? The answer lies with the Republican party in congress stepping up to its constitutional duties and providing a counter-weight to the Trump Administration. However, to date the Republican party has not fulfilled its obligations, but has enabled the shredding of norms in clear contrast to its actions and rhetoric of the Obama years.

 

The actions of several members of the Republican party in the Nixon years have been called "Profiles in Courage" as members stood to put country over party and did the right thing. The current Republican party, with very few exceptions, is not acting in a similar vein.

 

It is a violation of the oath taken by Congressmen.

 

it is a dereliction of duty of the job of a Congressman.

 

It is a display of weapons-grade hypocrisy.

 

 

 

 

Trump to the Dem "impeachment" clown car:  Bring it on!

[Tug]

Can we all say obstruction?can we all say Donald doesent have a 6 grade understanding of civics?I think Donald just may learn how to drink out of a stainless toilet sink combo!comon Donald bring it on its time to get rid of this clown

[Chomper Higgot]

27 minutes ago, Kelsall said:

 

Trump to the Dem "impeachment" clown car:  Bring it on!

You did read the opening article?

 

 

[Chomper Higgot]

How to provide Congress written and signed evidence to back Congress before the Courts when seeking enforcement of Congressional subpoenas 101.

 

Nothing to hide, nothing to fear.

 

 

[keith101]

As usual the White House and Republicans are putting Trump above the law out of fear for losing their jobs/seats .

[nobodysfriend]

2 hours ago, webfact said:

"In order to fulfill his duties to the American people, the Constitution, the Executive Branch and all future occupants of the Office of the Presidency, President Trump and his administration cannot participate in your partisan and unconstitutional inquiry under these circumstances," he said.

That is the final proof that the US is governed by a group of necktie wearing , white shirted ... gangsters .

They have a lot to hide because they are guilty to many crimes . Of course they want to block the democrat's inquiry , they are afraid that the truth about them will be published .

[nobodysfriend]

2 hours ago, webfact said:

nd true facts are not allowed out for the public ... to see."

presidential sarcasm at it's best ... again .

[Kelsall]

52 minutes ago, Chomper Higgot said:

You did read the opening article?

 

 

Did you read the Constitution?

[nobodysfriend]

2 hours ago, TopDeadSenter said:

Great news. Anybody could see this whole farce was a political witch hunt borne by a desperate realization the dems have no chance in the 2020 election. Trump is absolutely right to give it the respect it deserves - zero. 

 Now time for Schiff, Pelosi, Pelosi's son, Biden, Biden's son and the rest of them to face the music. Corruption is bad.

From heavily biased to ridiculous is a small step only . You prove that . I would like to know the truth , but not you it seems ...

[kamahele]

2 hours ago, TopDeadSenter said:

Great news. Anybody could see this whole farce was a political witch hunt borne by a desperate realization the dems have no chance in the 2020 election. Trump is absolutely right to give it the respect it deserves - zero. 

 Now time for Schiff, Pelosi, Pelosi's son, Biden, Biden's son and the rest of them to face the music. Corruption is bad.

"Anybody" meaning only you? Try reading the constitution and get back to us on this.

[J Town]

2 hours ago, TopDeadSenter said:

Great news. Anybody could see this whole farce was a political witch hunt borne by a desperate realization the dems have no chance in the 2020 election. Trump is absolutely right to give it the respect it deserves - zero. 

Now time for Schiff, Pelosi, Pelosi's son, Biden, Biden's son and the rest of them to face the music. Corruption is bad.

You left out Trump's kids, too. Working in the White House with NO qualifications. Selective finger pointing.

You also forgot that it's the job of Congress to oversee. question and investigate the other two branches. If it is a witch hunt (in your opinion), so be it, but then why does the executive branch fight so hard to hide facts/refuse to cooperate?

[J Town]

1 hour ago, keith101 said:

As usual the White House and Republicans are putting Trump above the law out of fear for losing their jobs/seats .

This is obstructing a Congressional investigation and was one of the main factors that got Nixon impeached.

[riclag]

He was elected POTUS! Hatred and harassment by the dems which resulted in a illegitimate inquiry which ultimate goal is to discredit the office and persuade public opinion!  In a failure to follow past procedures and precedence ,you neglect and  deny many constitutional rights which was establish decades ago .

 

It is in my opinion your treasonous radical efforts to destroy the Presidency of the current and most importantly future office holders is the biggest injustice perpetrated  on the republic of the United States!

 

Let the people who voted him in office hear his argument through due process, not by a radical obsession guided by hatred to disregard past precedence. 

 

 

[Tug]

1 hour ago, Kelsall said:

Did you read the Constitution?

I have have you?

[Tug]

30 minutes ago, riclag said:

He was elected POTUS! Hatred and harassment by the dems which resulted in a illegitimate inquiry which ultimate goal is to discredit the office and persuade public opinion!  In a failure to follow past procedures and precedence ,you neglect and  deny many constitutional rights which was establish decades ago .

 

It is in my opinion your treasonous radical efforts to destroy the Presidency of the current and most importantly future office holders is the biggest injustice perpetrated  on the republic of the United States!

 

Let the people who voted him in office hear his argument through due process, not by a radical obsession guided by hatred to disregard past precedence. 

 

 

It Beggers  belive that some fall for that Donald the victim bs how many years has that criminal been ripping people off don’t be a mark

[Basil B]

1 hour ago, Kelsall said:

Did you read the Constitution?

Oh Boy, you are referring to the 5th Amendment? self incrimination, "I am as guilty as hell but I am not going to let you prove it"????

[PatOngo]

3 hours ago, Kelsall said:

 

Trump to the Dem "impeachment" clown car:  Bring it on!

Git er dun! Yee Haa! Gung Ho!

[atyclb]

who needs congress, the constitution, or due process when the most elite court in the land can judge him, the tvf court- law review.

[Sujo]

1 hour ago, riclag said:

He was elected POTUS! Hatred and harassment by the dems which resulted in a illegitimate inquiry which ultimate goal is to discredit the office and persuade public opinion!  In a failure to follow past procedures and precedence ,you neglect and  deny many constitutional rights which was establish decades ago .

 

It is in my opinion your treasonous radical efforts to destroy the Presidency of the current and most importantly future office holders is the biggest injustice perpetrated  on the republic of the United States!

 

Let the people who voted him in office hear his argument through due process, not by a radical obsession guided by hatred to disregard past precedence. 

 

 

The people who voted him in can hear his argument through due process. For sure, he has every right to give his side in the impeachment investigation.

 

The investigation is due process. Its in the constitution and congress can determine how it is conducted. Thats the law.

[Paul Henry]

Trump has proven to the country and the world that he is an uneducated,look at me look at me clown who has no understanding of what his appointment to president meant.He swore a number of oaths one was to uphold the constitution.(Guarantee he has never read it let alone understood it.)Everthing Trump touches turns sour and he finds a fall guy. There probably is no other president that hides or blocks everything that comes out of his office.Eveything he promises is purely there to protect him and cover up the thousands of lies that he spins to cover his gross inadequate and lack of understanding.

[riclag]

49 minutes ago, Tug said:

It Beggers  belive that some fall for that Donald the victim bs how many years has that criminal been ripping people off don’t be a mark

ridiculous, criminality is a conspiracy theory perpetrated by his opposition,nice try 

[riclag]

5 minutes ago, Sujo said:

The people who voted him in can hear his argument through due process. For sure, he has every right to give his side in the impeachment investigation.

 

The investigation is due process. Its in the constitution and congress can determine how it is conducted. Thats the law.

That is being debated by dems and gop in the media as we speak! Formal impeachment ! I support a formal impeachment! In fact the sooner the propaganda by the dems  to alter public opinion be debated the better for my country 

[pedro01]

If you read the letter, it actually seems quite fair.

 

It seems they want 3 things

1 - To move Schiff out of the way - as his actions quite clearly show he's not neutral enough to oversee the proceedings. If there is a good case, I think that's quite fair. 

2 - To be allowed to cross examine witnesses, have proper representation and examine all evidence

3 - To have a vote on going ahead with impeachment - which effectively started by Pelosi, when she hadn't actually seen the letter yet

 

Point 3 seems moot. I can't see how the Dems will fail to get a vote for impeachment but points 1 & 2 seem fair. Why not make it a fair trial with due process?