© Greg Nash
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell
Addison (Mitch) Mitchell McConnellGraham to introduce resolution condemning House impeachment inquiry Overnight Defense: Trump's Syria envoy wasn't consulted on withdrawal | McConnell offers resolution urging Trump to rethink Syria | Diplomat says Ukraine aid was tied to political investigations Partisan squabbles endanger congressional response to Trump's course on Syria MORE (R-Ky.) on Tuesday went after House Democrats over their handling of an impeachment inquiry against President Trump
Donald John TrumpGraham to introduce resolution condemning House impeachment inquiry Support for impeachment inches up in poll Fox News's Bret Baier calls Trump's attacks on media 'a problem' MORE.
Addison (Mitch) Mitchell McConnellGraham to introduce resolution condemning House impeachment inquiry Overnight Defense: Trump's Syria envoy wasn't consulted on withdrawal | McConnell offers resolution urging Trump to rethink Syria | Diplomat says Ukraine aid was tied to political investigations Partisan squabbles endanger congressional response to Trump's course on Syria MORE (R-Ky.) on Tuesday went after House Democrats over their handling of an impeachment inquiry against President TrumpDonald John TrumpGraham to introduce resolution condemning House impeachment inquiry Support for impeachment inches up in poll Fox News's Bret Baier calls Trump's attacks on media 'a problem' 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 Owen McCarthyThe Memo: Trump 'lynching' firestorm is sign of things to come McConnell: Trump lynching comment 'an unfortunate choice of words' White House spokesman: Trump didn't mean to compare his experience with 'darkest moments' in US history MORE (R-Calif.) also argued in a pair of tweets that Democrats have treated Trump differently than previous presidents.
Kevin Owen McCarthyThe Memo: Trump 'lynching' firestorm is sign of things to come McConnell: Trump lynching comment 'an unfortunate choice of words' White House spokesman: Trump didn't mean to compare his experience with 'darkest moments' in US history 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 PelosiGraham to introduce resolution condemning House impeachment inquiry Democrats say they have game changer on impeachment Hillicon Valley: Zuckerberg would support delaying Libra | More attorneys general join Facebook probe | Defense chief recuses from 'war cloud' contract | Senate GOP blocks two election security bills | FTC brings case against 'stalking' app developer MORE (D-Calif.) and House chairmen overseeing the impeachment inquiry saying it would refuse to cooperate further with the probe.
Nancy PelosiGraham to introduce resolution condemning House impeachment inquiry Democrats say they have game changer on impeachment Hillicon Valley: Zuckerberg would support delaying Libra | More attorneys general join Facebook probe | Defense chief recuses from 'war cloud' contract | Senate GOP blocks two election security bills | FTC brings case against 'stalking' app developer 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 BidenSupport for impeachment inches up in poll Overnight Defense: Trump's Syria envoy wasn't consulted on withdrawal | McConnell offers resolution urging Trump to rethink Syria | Diplomat says Ukraine aid was tied to political investigations Democrats say they have game changer on impeachment MORE and his son Hunter Biden.
Joe BidenSupport for impeachment inches up in poll Overnight Defense: Trump's Syria envoy wasn't consulted on withdrawal | McConnell offers resolution urging Trump to rethink Syria | Diplomat says Ukraine aid was tied to political investigations Democrats say they have game changer on impeachment 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 GiulianiOvernight Defense: Trump's Syria envoy wasn't consulted on withdrawal | McConnell offers resolution urging Trump to rethink Syria | Diplomat says Ukraine aid was tied to political investigations Democrats say they have game changer on impeachment READ: Diplomat describes pressure put on Ukraine to open 'investigations' 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 GiulianiOvernight Defense: Trump's Syria envoy wasn't consulted on withdrawal | McConnell offers resolution urging Trump to rethink Syria | Diplomat says Ukraine aid was tied to political investigations Democrats say they have game changer on impeachment READ: Diplomat describes pressure put on Ukraine to open 'investigations' 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.
