In a stern response to the White House's letter saying it refuses to cooperate with the House impeachment inquiry, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) accused President Trump of trying to "normalize lawlessness" and "cover up his betrayal of our democracy."
The inquiry was launched after a whistleblower complaint was filed in August by a person concerned about a phone call between Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, during which Trump asked Zelensky to launch an investigation into former Vice President Joe Biden. On Tuesday, White House Counsel Pat Cipollone sent a letter to House Democrats, claiming that there is "no legitimate basis" for the inquiry and it is merely an attempt to "reverse the election of 2016 and to influence the election of 2020." Because of this, Trump "cannot participate in" the probe.
Cipollone's letter is "manifestly wrong, and is simply another attempt to hide the facts of the Trump administration's brazen efforts to pressure foreign powers to intervene in the 2020 elections," Pelosi said. "Despite the White House's stonewalling, we see a growing body of evidence that shows that President Trump abused his office and violated his oath to 'protect, preserve, and defend the Constitution.'"
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Trump has spent the last few years attempting to "normalize lawlessness," Pelosi said, and is now "trying to make lawlessness a virtue." His actions not only "threaten our security," she continued, but also "violate our Constitution" and "undermine the integrity of our elections." It needs to be made clear above all 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," Pelosi said. "Mr. President, you are not above the law. You will be held accountable."
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