Free Republic

The latest standoff between House Democrats and the Trump administration over the testimony of State Department officials has the White House questioning in a new letter sent Tuesday why the House is not voting to authorize a formal impeachment inquiry. The White House and its Republican congressional allies have argued that such a vote is necessary, and President Donald Trump's lawyers told House Democrats in the letter that the President and his administration won't cooperate in the ongoing impeachment inquiry, arguing the proceedings amount to an illegitimate effort to overturn the 2016 election results. The lengthy letter all but dares...

The Trump administration all but made a “declaration of war on the House over the impeachment inquiry” on Tuesday in a letter from White House Counsel Pat. A Cipollone, who told House Democrats that the president would not comply with their “illegitimate proceedings.”

Democrats are moving fast toward what looks like an inevitable vote to impeach President Trump, so why aren’t they doing more to persuade Americans who don’t already agree with them? They won’t convince anyone else with their current method of irregular order, secret hearings and selective leaks to the pro-impeachment press. Start with the news that Democrats may attempt to keep secret the identity of the intelligence whistleblower whose complaint started the impeachment drive. The Washington Post reports that Chairman Adam Schiff’s House Intelligence Committee may have the official testify away from Capitol Hill, or allow only staff to attend,...

Former Rep. Trey Gowdy has agreed to a request from the White House to assist President Trump as the Democrat-led impeachment inquiry moves forward. Though initial reports claimed that Gowdy had declined an invite from the White House to participate in the president's defense, the former GOP representative of South Carolina is now on board to assist, according to Law & Crime. Gowdy was approached by the White House this week as potential legal counsel for Trump as he prepares to fight against an impeachment investigation stemming from a July 25 phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, according to...

There have so far been two hearings in the House Democrats' effort to impeach President Donald Trump over the Ukraine matter. Both have been held in secret. One was last Thursday, the other Friday, and the public does not know what was said in either. Two more are scheduled for this week, and they will be held behind closed doors, too. The hearings are part of an effort to remove the president from office. There could not be a matter of more pressing public concern. There could not be a matter in which the American people have a greater stake....

The Hill's Morning Report The impeachment inquiry battle kicked into overdrive on Tuesday as the White House declared it will not cooperate with the ongoing investigation by House Democrats, who responded by warning the White House that its lack of cooperation will be considered an act of obstruction as lawmakers move toward impeachment. In a letter to House Democratic leaders and investigators, the White House counsel argued that the ongoing inquiry violated the president’s due process rights and that the executive branch will not provide any testimony or documents for the investigation. Although the White House largely cooperated with the...

House Democrats believe they have the 217 votes needed to pass articles of impeachment against President Trump stemming from his Ukraine call -- enough votes to impeach Trump and send articles to the Senate -- even before their planned hearings or formal investigation. A senior member of the House Democratic Caucus told Fox News on Sunday it's unlikely House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., will give in to the president's demand for an "inquiry vote." The source said that while leadership hasn't officially whipped or nose-counted a vote to "impeach," they believed the numbers were there based on the 227 votes...

A former Trump Organization executive says she thinks President Donald Trump may resign rather than face possible removal from office by impeachment. "He does a lot of things to save face," Barbara Res, a former Trump Organization vice president, told CNN's Brian Stelter on Reliable Sources Sunday. "It would be very, very, very bad for him to be impeached," Res said. "I don't know that he'll be found guilty but I don't know that he wants to be impeached. I think that's what this panic is about. And my gut [instinct] is that he'll leave office, he'll resign. Or make...

Full title of article: "Scott Pelley Leads 60 Minutes Impeachment Coverage With Lie: “Whistleblower Under Federal Protection" Excerpt: CBS Reporter Scott Pelley led the broadcast of 60-Minutes presentation of the House impeachment of Donald Trump with a stunning claim: + + + “Tonight, “60 Minutes” has obtained a letter that indicates the government whistleblower who set off the impeachment inquiry of President Trump is under federal protection, because he or she fears for their safety.” Except, they encountered one problem…. it’s not true. Scott Pelley made it up.

Lying takes a lot of effort, telling the truth is easy. When you start lying you have to remember which lie you told which person, and as the truth begins to creep out, as it always does, you find yourself scrambling to twist it to fit back into your lie. Democrats, both in Congress and the media, are finding this out the hard way this week with their latest “Trump is corrupt and must be impeached” lie. ... Almost everything about the allegations that have Democrats moving toward impeachment of the President is a lie, a proven lie. And they...

<p>Contrary to suggestions by some, most Trump supporters are not automatons or blind supporters. What bothers them, and should bother others, about the latest Ukraine hysterias is the familiar monotony of this latest scripted psychodrama.</p> <p>The whistleblower admits to hearsay (“I was not a direct witness to most of the events described”). His term-paper report is laden with anonymously sourced rumors, e.g., “According to multiple White House officials I spoke with,” “I was told by White House officials,” “Based on my understanding,” “I learned from multiple officials,” “I do not know whether similar measures were taken,” “I do not know whether those officials spoke with or met with . . . ”</p>

The Democratic Coalition is determined to help oust President Donald Trump, which is why they launched the "Impeachment Task Force," compromised of various celebrities. The goal of the "Task Force" is to provide political cover for Democrats wanting to hold Trump "accountable for his betrayal of America," Democratic Coalition co-founder Scott Dwork told Newsweek . Not surprisingly, the anti-Trump celebrities compromising the "Task Force" include actors and actresses who have been outspoken about their disdain for Trump. Confirmed members include comedian Rosie O'Donnell and actors Tom Arnold, Ron Perlman, George Takei, Debra Messing and Alyssa Milano. Other confirmed famous...

It is not for the Speaker and her adjutants to decree that there is an inquiry. ‘The House of Representatives . . . shall have the sole Power of Impeachment.” It’s right there in black-and-white: In article I, section 2, clause 5, our Constitution vests the entirety of the power to call for removal of the president of the United States in a single body — the House. Not in the Speaker of the House. In the House of Representatives. The institution, not one of its members. To be sure, Speaker Nancy Pelosi is a very powerful government official: second...

Donald Trump should not have been on the phone with a foreign head of state encouraging another country to investigate his political opponent, Joe Biden. Some Republicans are trying, but there’s no way to spin this as a good idea. Like a lot of things Trump does, it was pretty over-the-top. Our leaders’ official actions should not be about politics. Those two things need to remain separate. Once those in control of our government use it to advance their political goals, we become just another of the world’s many corrupt countries. America is better than that. That’s also why it’s...

President Donald Trump confirmed Friday that he intends to send a letter to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) stating that, until the full House votes to authorize the chamber's ongoing impeachment inquiry, the administration will not comply with subpoenas and other demands for witness testimony and documents. Trump and Republicans—who've been daring Pelosi to vote on the matter—believe that such a move would put vulnerable swing state Democrats in a tough spot and force members to more officially go on the record, as all but a handful of House Democrats support an impeachment inquiry into Trump. The White House has...

Former U.S. Attorney Joe DiGenova said Democrats are doing an "impeachment lite" and not a formal impeachment inquiry in order to avoid giving Republicans subpoena power. From his interview with Lou Dobbs on Thursday: JOE DIGENOVA: It's quite obvious what the Democrats are doing. They have not had a vote on the floor of the House to start a formal impeachment inquiry because if they were to have such a vote, under the House rules for impeachment, the Republicans would get subpoena power. In order to avoid giving the Republicans subpoena power, they are doing impeachment lite with these six...

The impeachment narrative pushed by House Democrats needs to be called exactly what it is, which is a political coup. Contrary to what Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Chairman Adam Schiff, and progressive left wingers would have you believe, the United States still does have an objective rule of law, and the Constitution is not merely a guideline subject to interpretation and application at the whim of a power grab. Regardless of whether you are a Republican, a Democrat, an independent, or anything else, it should concern all of us that the rule of law is being tossed out in favor of...

Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) rejected a request by House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) on Thursday that the full House vote on whether to authorize an impeachment inquiry, in keeping with precedent. On Thursday morning, McCarthy wrote to Pelosi to ask whether she intended to comply with the precedent set in three previous presidential impeachment inquiries (Andrew Johnson, Richard Nixon, and Bill Clinton) of having the full House vote to authorize an investigation. McCarthy also asked whether Pelosi would comply with precedent by letting the minority have equal power to subpoena witnesses, allowing the president’s counsel to...

This column will explain the impeachment farce in two minutes. By the end, you will thank the media for demanding the release of Trump’s phone calls with the leaders of Ukraine and Australia. What the phone transcripts demonstrate is that -- unlike the typical Republican -- Trump is not a let-bygones-be-bygones sort. He intends to find out who turned the FBI into a Hillary super PAC, using the powers of the nation’s “premiere law enforcement agency” (according to them) to take out a presidential candidate, and then a president. The whole picture becomes clear when you have the timeline. Instead...