The team of US President Donald Trump has made an extraordinary decision that will only increase the tension of the White House in relations with Congress. White House legal adviser Pat Cipollone sent a letter to the head of the House Judicial Committee, Jerrold Nadler, informing him that the Trump administration would not participate in the December 4 impeachment hearing.
It is reported by The Hill.
“The invitation to the academic discussion with law professors does not provide the President with any semblance of a fair process”, – the letter said.
Cipollone expresses confidence that the Committee deliberately scheduled the hearing on December 4, when the US President Donald Trump will be in London at the summit of NATO leaders. He also pointed out that no witnesses had been appointed at the moment, but suggested that those present at the hearing would not be substantive witnesses, but law professors who would discuss “historical and constitutional grounds for impeachment”.
Pat Cipollone emphasized that the White House will respond separately regarding the second hearing.
On December 4, the Committee set up hearings entitled “Investigation of President Donald Trump’s impeachment: constitutional grounds for presidential impeachment.”
The Democrats of the Committee intend to hear from legal scholars whether the evidence found by them during the investigation is the basis for the development of articles aimed at removing the president from office.
From the history of the issue:
In the United States, Democrats initiated the impeachment of US President Donald Trump this fall. The reason for the proceedings was a report by an anonymous informant that Trump was trying to convince Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky to start an investigation against the son of one of his likely presidential contestants, Joe Biden, Hunter.
As part of the impeachment investigation, Democrats from the House of Representatives called on many American diplomats and officials to testify.