White House Won't Participate in Sham Impeachment Hearings

by Stephen Lendman (stephenlendman.org - Home - Stephen Lendman)

The anti-Trump Russiagate and its Ukrainegate spinoff witch-hunt by undemocratic Dems is all about seeking a political advantage in November 2020 presidential and congressional elections.

It's a campaign stunt with no legitimacy — real Trump offenses ignored, fake ones featured.

Impeaching him is likely but not certain, meaningless censure possible, a fallback option for Dems to cut their losses.

If impeachment is pursued, the Republican-controlled Senate will hold their feet to the fire, witnesses subpoenaed likely to include their leadership, aiming to embarrass them on national television.

The White House won't participate in the sham proceedings, one of the most shameful political spectacles in US history.

Russiagate and Ukrainegate are McCarthyism's modern-day versions. Lessons never learned, history has a disturbing way of repeating.

In dealings with Ukraine's president and his other foreign counterparts, Trump acted largely like his predecessors in the modern era — differing mainly in style.

The unredacted transcript of his conversation with Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky showed no blackmail threat, no quid pro quo, no extortion, no conspiracy, no abuse of power, falsely claimed by Dems.

With no credible evidence, the Dem-controlled House Intelligence Committee falsely accused Trump of obstruction of justice by witness intimidation and tampering, soliciting foreign interference to benefit his reelection campaign, withholding military aid to Ukraine for political reasons, undermining the integrity of the US presidential election process, and endangering national security — short of recommending articles of impeachment.

By letter to House Judiciary Committee chairman Jerrold Nadler, White House counsel Pat Cipollone said the following on Friday:

"As you know, your impeachment inquiry is completely baseless and has violated basic principles of due process and fundamental fairness," adding: 

"Nevertheless, the Speaker of the House yesterday ordered House Democrats to proceed with articles of impeachment before your Committee has heard a single shred of evidence."

"House Democrats have wasted enough of America's time with this charade. You should end this inquiry now and not waste even more time with additional hearings." 

"Adopting articles of impeachment would be a reckless abuse of power by House Democrats, and would constitute the most unjust, highly partisan, and unconstitutional attempt at impeachment in our nation's history." 

"Whatever course you choose, as the president has recently stated: "if you are going to impeach me, do it now, fast, so we can have a fair trial in the Senate, and so that our country can get back to business."

An unnamed senior White House official said "(w)e don't see any reason to participate because the process is unfair," adding: 

"We haven't been given any fair opportunity to participate. The speaker has already announced the predetermined result, and they will not give us the ability to call any witnesses."

Nadler gave the White House until Friday to say if it would participate in Judiciary Committee hearings.

In response to Cipollone's letter, he said they'll continue anyway, falsely claiming Trump "cannot claim that the process is unfair."

House Republicans want Adam Schiff and the CIA character assassin, masquerading as a whistleblower, called to testify, along with others the GOP requests. 

Based on how sham hearings have proceeded so far, witnesses Republicans want called will be voted down by majority Dems.

The NYT is conducting its own anti-Trump campaign, operating as a virtual Dem party press agent.

The self-styled newspaper of record debunked legitimate accusations about Joe Biden and son Hunter's involvement with corrupt Ukrainian officials, falsely calling them "unfounded."

Ignoring plenty of damning evidence, the Times lied claiming there's none.

Separately in its latest edition, it featured a letter to the editor, shamefully calling undemocratic Dems Speaker Pelosi, spearheading the impeachment scam, "brave and eloquent."

Anti-Trump proceedings continue, perhaps concluding with articles of impeachment against Trump before yearend.

Dems are having their say. Republicans get their rebuttal chance if Dems send things to a Senate trial next year.

VISIT MY WEBSITE: stephenlendman.org (Home - Stephen Lendman). Contact at lendmanstephen@sbcglobal.net.

My newest book as editor and contributor is titled "Flashpoint in Ukraine: How the US Drive for Hegemony Risks WW III."

http://www.claritypress.com/LendmanIII.html