The White House has declared that it will not cooperate with the impeachment inquiry in the US House of Representatives.
It called the impeachment constitutionally illegitimate and accusing Democrats of engaging in political theatre.
DPA reports that in a letter to the lawmakers on Tuesday, the White House called for them to abandon the inquiry, claiming they are seeking to overturn the results of the 2016 election, which President Donald Trump won.
House Democrats in September launched the probe amid accusations Trump used his power as president to try to have Ukraine dig up dirt on his domestic political rival, Joe Biden, and aid his upcoming re-election campaign.
“President Trump and his Administration cannot participate in your partisan and unconstitutional inquiry under these circumstances”, the White House said to Democrats.
The White House alleged lawmakers were violating Trump’s due-process rights in the inquiry, including the right to issue subpoenas and question witnesses.
Moreover, the executive branch dismissed the legitimacy of the investigation, saying there was no full vote in the House on starting the inquiry.
The letter from the White House to Democrats came hours after Trump’s administration blocked Gordon Sondland, the US ambassador to the European Union, from testifying to lawmakers.
In justifying his move, Trump called the House of Representatives a kangaroo court.
The Democratic speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi, called the White House’s refusal to cooperate unlawful in a statement responding to the letter, which she said is manifestly wrong.
Pelosi said the latest move by the Republican president was an effort to stonewall Democrats’ investigations, claiming they had evidence that Trump abused his office.
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