McConnell blasts House Democrats over handling of impeachment inquiry

By Jordain Carney - 10/08/19 07:23 PM EDT
 
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McConnell blasts House Democrats over handling of impeachment inquiry
© Greg Nash
 
“Overturning the results of an American election requires the highest level of fairness and due process, as it strikes at the core of our democratic process,” McConnell wrote in a tweet. 

“So far, the House has fallen far short by failing to follow the same basic procedures that it has followed for every other President in our history,” he added. 
House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthyKevin Owen McCarthyCalifornia sues Trump administration over fracking Trump: Impeachment timing intended to hurt Sanders Overnight Energy: Schumer votes against USMCA, citing climate impact | Republicans offer details on their environmental proposals | Microsoft aims to be carbon negative by 2030 MORE (R-Calif.) also argued in a pair of tweets that Democrats have treated Trump differently than previous presidents.
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McCarthy said Trump "is right to call out this rushed process because Democrats refuse to protect the transparency and basic fairness that have been integral to previous impeachment proceedings."
 
"House Democrats have wanted to undo the results of the 2016 election for three years, and now they’re rushing a sham impeachment process," he added. 
The GOP leaders weighed in amid an escalating battle between the White House and congressional Democrats over the impeachment inquiry.
 
The White House on Tuesday sent a letter to Speaker Nancy PelosiNancy PelosiRepublicans will pay on Election Day for politicizing Trump's impeachment Trump chooses high-profile but controversial legal team Trump: Impeachment timing intended to hurt Sanders MORE (D-Calif.) and House chairmen overseeing the impeachment inquiry saying it would refuse to cooperate further with the probe.
 
The White House argued Democrats were pursuing a "constitutionally invalid" investigation of a duly elected president.
 
Pelosi has said that a formal vote wasn't necessary to begin the process, telling reporters last week that "there's no requirement that there be a floor vote."
 
Trump and his GOP allies argue the inquiry is invalid unless the House takes a floor vote to authorize it, as was done with the inquiries into former Presidents Nixon and Clinton.
 
They also think a formal vote would be a political boon because it would force Democrats in swing-state districts to go on the record about impeachment.
 
McConnell didn't directly endorse Trump's strategy of not cooperating with House Democrats in his tweets or specifically mention the word impeachment.
 
But his criticism of Democrats is notable given that he's largely flown under the radar during Congress's two-week recess with regard to the impeachment fight.
 
Though McConnell's campaign is running Facebook ads with the GOP leader pledging to block Trump's impeachment, he's yet to comment on the president's call for Ukraine and China to investigate former Vice President Joe BidenJoe BidenSanders to headline Iowa event amid impeachment trial Hillicon Valley: Biden calls for revoking tech legal shield | DHS chief 'fully expects' Russia to try to interfere in 2020 | Smaller companies testify against Big Tech 'monopoly power' Hill.TV's Krystal Ball on Sanders-Warren feud: 'Don't play to the pundits, play to voters' MORE and his son Hunter Biden.
 
House Democrats are at the start of an impeachment inquiry centered on Trump asking the Ukrainian government to work with his personal lawyer Rudy GiulianiRudy GiulianiDems plan marathon prep for Senate trial, wary of Trump trying to 'game' the process House Democrats release second batch of Parnas materials Republicans will pay on Election Day for politicizing Trump's impeachment MORE to look into the Bidens and allegations that the president tried to withhold aid to Ukraine in an effort to get Kiev to launch such a probe.
Tags Mitch McConnell Kevin McCarthy Bill Clinton Nancy Pelosi Donald Trump Rudy Giuliani Joe Biden