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Trump refuses to cooperate with impeachment inquiry, triggers a constitutional crisis

Democrats, including Nancy Pelosi, warned that Trump's failure to cooperate with the investigation will be considered as further obstruction.

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New Delhi: The White House has triggered a constitutional crisis by refusing to cooperate with the on-going impeachment inquiry against US President Donald Trump. With this move, Trump has signalled that his strategy for dealing with the House Democrats-led impeachment would involve “minimum cooperation, maximum confrontation,” states a Politico report.

The impeachment inquiry is attempting to investigate whether military aid to Ukraine was held back by President Trump, in an effort to force it to investigate Trump’s political rival, Joe Biden.

What did the White House say? 

White House counsel Pat Cipollone, in a letter addressed to House Majority leader, Nancy Pelosi and the chairs of the three House committees investigating the impeachment, categorically stated that Trump will not participate in the inquiry.

“Your unprecedented actions have left the president with 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,” said Cipollone in the letter.

How have the Democrats reacted? 

Trump’s refusal to cooperate with the impeachment inquiry has led to sharp reactions from the top Democratic leadership.

Democrats argue that while the White House’s decision to stonewall the impeachment process might hinder them from interviewing key witnesses, it also “bolsters their list of impeachable offenses, adding the stonewalling of Congress to the tally”.

“The White House should be warned that continued efforts to hide the truth of the president’s abuse of power from the American people will be regarded as further evidence of obstruction,” noted a statement by Pelosi.

What does this mean for the impeachment process? 

“The president’s decision to resist across the board is itself a potentially precedent-setting move that could have far-reaching implications for the inquiry,” noted a report in the New York Times.

Anthony Zurcher, North American correspondent for the BBC, writes, “While the White House’s written response to Speaker Nancy Pelosi took eight pages, the message was simple. No depositions. No documents. No co-operation whatsoever.”

According to Democrats, Trump’s failure to comply with demands of information could lead to its own separate article of impeachment.

At the end of the impeachment inquiry, the House Judiciary committee draws one or more articles of impeachment – that list the accusations against the sitting president.

Following this, the House Judiciary Committee and the whole House of Representatives vote on these articles. If even one article achieves a majority vote both in the committee and the House, the president is considered impeached.

What are the options available to the Democrats? 

While the Democrats argue that obstruction to the investigation is a legitimate offense, the White House’s refusal to cooperate is a major investigative hassle for the House committees running the probe.

There are a few options available to them, going forward.

“They could attempt to accommodate the White House’s unspecified demands, hoping to encourage its assistance. Or they could try to use the courts to compel the White House to co-operate,” notes Zurcher.

Judicial adjudication over such a politically strife subject is completely “uncharted territory” and no precedent exists for such a situation.

Thus, there is no clarity over how judiciary might weigh in on such a matter – paving way for a possible constitutional crisis.

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3 COMMENTS

  1. The White House is reported to have refused cooperation by President Trump with the inquiry , terming the inquiry as unprecedented , partisan and unconstitutional. The developing story surrounding impeachment inquiry looks to be corresponding to this Vedic astrology writer’s predictive article “ Mid 2019 to November 2020 for President Donald Trump – a Vedic astrology view” published on 1 June 2019 in monthly Webzine of Wisdom Magazine at wisdom-magazine.com/Article.aspx/5060/. Some worrisome concerns surrounding litigation about income tax returns of some past years were also in news in early October. A Federal Court in New York rejected in early October President Trump’s plea that he is not bound to make such tax returns public while enjoying immunity as President. A court of appeal is reported to have also gone against President Trump on 11 October 2019. Now , Trump can appeal to the Supreme Court. As we are in October 2019 , the following prediction made nearly five months prior on 1 May in the said article looks to be prophetic and precisely relevant :-
    “ The month of October in present year 2019 looks to be particularly worrisome , calling for more care , appropriate strategy and much needed patience. Machinations or designs of those opposing him , within the US or from among global community , can gather more steam. Some friends may likely distance with him. Severe storms or earthquake or volcano eruption in vulnerable regions in the US are likely. Some worrisome concerns related to energy resources or food stuff or communal issues can be likely.”

  2. If you have read the transcript there was no quid pro qo so this is a madeup scandal like the russia investigation. Secondly this is only a threat per se if they are so sure then take a vote in the house of representatives which they won’t because they know it is a madeup scandal as they cannot beat him the fair way in 2020.

  3. The US Supreme Court votes completely along partisan lines in such matters. That is how it gave George Bush victory in the 2000 election, by a 5 – 4 vote. 2. President Trump is clearly terrified by the prospect of impeachment, although he will not lose in the Senate. To the extent that the executive stonewalls the enquiry, Speaker Pelosi and her senior colleagues should nudge the process along, ensure that the required vote for Impeachment is obtained. Then move it to the Senate, where Chief Justice John Roberts will follow due process. 3. Loyal base or otherwise, the moral burden of being impeached will hang heavy over Mr Trump. Americans understand this is not politics by other means. Their President has erred. Hopefully, this will kill his reelection.

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