© Greg Nash
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell
Addison (Mitch) Mitchell McConnellOvernight Health Care: Florida becomes epicenter of COVID-19 surge | NYC to require vaccination for indoor activities | Biden rebukes GOP governors for barring mask mandates McConnell warns Schumer cutting off debate quickly could stall infrastructure deal Top House Democrat says party would lose elections if they were held today: report MORE (R-Ky.) on Tuesday went after House Democrats over their handling of an impeachment inquiry against President Trump
Donald TrumpFive takeaways from the Ohio special primaries Missouri Rep. Billy Long enters Senate GOP primary Trump-backed Mike Carey wins GOP primary in Ohio special election MORE.
Addison (Mitch) Mitchell McConnellOvernight Health Care: Florida becomes epicenter of COVID-19 surge | NYC to require vaccination for indoor activities | Biden rebukes GOP governors for barring mask mandates McConnell warns Schumer cutting off debate quickly could stall infrastructure deal Top House Democrat says party would lose elections if they were held today: report MORE (R-Ky.) on Tuesday went after House Democrats over their handling of an impeachment inquiry against President TrumpDonald TrumpFive takeaways from the Ohio special primaries Missouri Rep. Billy Long enters Senate GOP primary Trump-backed Mike Carey wins GOP primary in Ohio special election MORE.“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.
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.
— Leader McConnell (@senatemajldr) October 8, 2019
House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy
Kevin McCarthyPress: Inmates have taken over the asylum 58 percent say Jan. 6 House committee is biased: poll The Hill's Morning Report - Presented by Facebook - Senate finalizes .2 trillion bipartisan infrastructure bill MORE (R-Calif.) also argued in a pair of tweets that Democrats have treated Trump differently than previous presidents.
Kevin McCarthyPress: Inmates have taken over the asylum 58 percent say Jan. 6 House committee is biased: poll The Hill's Morning Report - Presented by Facebook - Senate finalizes .2 trillion bipartisan infrastructure bill MORE (R-Calif.) also argued in a pair of tweets that Democrats have treated Trump differently than previous presidents.ADVERTISEMENT
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.
President @realDonaldTrump 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.
— Kevin McCarthy (@GOPLeader) October 8, 2019
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 Pelosi
Nancy PelosiFive takeaways from the Ohio special primaries On The Money: Biden issues targeted eviction moratorium | GOP skepticism looms over bipartisan spending deal 'The Squad' celebrates Biden eviction moratorium MORE (D-Calif.) and House chairmen overseeing the impeachment inquiry saying it would refuse to cooperate further with the probe.
Nancy PelosiFive takeaways from the Ohio special primaries On The Money: Biden issues targeted eviction moratorium | GOP skepticism looms over bipartisan spending deal 'The Squad' celebrates Biden eviction moratorium 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 Biden
Joe BidenFive takeaways from the Ohio special primaries FDA aims to give full approval to Pfizer vaccine by Labor Day: report Overnight Defense: Police officer killed in violence outside Pentagon | Biden officials back repeal of Iraq War authorization | NSC pushed to oversee 'Havana Syndrome' response MORE and his son Hunter Biden.
Joe BidenFive takeaways from the Ohio special primaries FDA aims to give full approval to Pfizer vaccine by Labor Day: report Overnight Defense: Police officer killed in violence outside Pentagon | Biden officials back repeal of Iraq War authorization | NSC pushed to oversee 'Havana Syndrome' response 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 Giuliani
Rudy GiulianiGiuliani rips Ukraine investigation: 'I committed no crime' Capitol insurrection hearing exposes Trumpworld delusions DOJ declines to back Mo Brooks's defense against Swalwell's riot lawsuit 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.
Rudy GiulianiGiuliani rips Ukraine investigation: 'I committed no crime' Capitol insurrection hearing exposes Trumpworld delusions DOJ declines to back Mo Brooks's defense against Swalwell's riot lawsuit 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.