Trump Administration Refuses To Cooperate With 'Constitutionally Invalid' Impeachment

Topline: House speaker Nancy Pelosi warned President Donald Trump that he is "not above the law" after the White House refused to cooperate with what the Trump administration says is a "constitutionally illegitimate" impeachment inquiry.

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• In a combative letter, Pat Cipollone, White House counsel to the president, accused House speaker Nancy Pelosi of carrying out the proceedings "in secret" and of abandoning due process rights, by launching the impeachment inquiry without a full house vote.
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• The letter read: "Given that your inquiry lacks any legitimate constitutional foundation, any pretense of fairness, or even the most elementary due process protections, the Executive Branch cannot be expected to participate in it."
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• Cipollone also labelled impeachment efforts a "naked political strategy" to overturn the results of the 2016 election and influence next year's poll.

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• In response, Pelosi said Trump has "tried to normalize lawlessness"and that the letter was his latest attempt to "cover up his betrayal of our democracy." called the letter "manifestly wrong."
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• Experts suggest the letter is not rooted in sound legal basis, with law professor Frank Bowman telling Reuters that Congress "can do the investigation in more or less any order they want."
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• The letter came hours after the administration blocked a key witness from testifying in Congress. Gordon Sondland, the U.S. ambassador to the EU, was due to meet with three House committees investigating Trump over his alleged role in pushing Ukraine to investigate the Bidens. But he didn't show up on the instruction of the State Department. Democrats say they will now subpoena him.

Crucial quote: Pelosi said in her response: "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. Mr. President, you are not above the law. You will be held accountable."

Key background: Pelosi triggered impeachment proceedings last month after a whistleblower complaint emerged stating that Trump urged Ukraine's president, Volodymyr Zelensky, to investigate political rival Joe Biden and his son Hunter, a former board member of Ukrainian energy company Burisma. The Trump administration's move to withhold $400 million in aid to Ukraine ahead of the Zelensky call will be a key line of questioning for the proceedings.

Further reading: Here's What Would Have To Happen For Trump To Be Impeached (Lisette Voytko)

Impeachment Inquiry: Complete Timeline Of The Ukraine Investigation (Lisette Voytko)