Impeachment hearing exposes 'absolute coverup by White House', as former top aide dodges questions
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Your support makes all the difference.Democrats in the House Judiciary Committee have launched the first impeachment hearings into allegations that Donald Trump obstructed justice and abused power, with the president's former campaign manager Corey Lewandowski appearing before the committee as the first witness to testify on questions that were raised by the Mueller report released earlier this year.
The witness had been gagged by the White House, however, and two more aides – Rick Dearborn and Rob Porter – were reportedly told to ignore subpoenas and not attend the session with the Democratic-led panel on the grounds that they are protected by “absolute immunity”.
"The White House has no authority legal or otherwise to give these orders," House Judiciary chairman Jerry Nadler said of those gags.
But, Mr Lewandowski nevertheless refused to answer questions from Democrats, citing a gag letter from the White House, where he never worked.
The president’s latest campaign rally on Monday evening saw him attempt to appeal to the Hispanic voters of New Mexico he alienated in 2016, a day bookended by his calls for resignations at The New York Times over the latest sexual misconduct allegations against Supreme Court justice Brett Kavanaugh and a new poll forecasting Mr Trump’s defeat in key 2020 swing states.
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From deputy press secretary Hogan Gidley, on whether Iran is responsible for oil bombings:
The first impeachment hearings into Donald Trump's potential corruption are just about to being in the House Judiciary Committee.
The committee has subpoenaed Cory Lewandowski, a former Trump 2016 campaign official, who has been gagged by the White House.
Corey Lewandowski is now seated in the House Judiciary Committee.
Mr Lewandowski is seated as the House Judiciary Committee files into the hearing room. We can expect the proceedings to begin shortly.
Photographers are having a field day with Mr Lewandowski, as they tend to do for high profile congressional witnesses.
We are still awaiting a start of the hearings.
Democrats are unlikely to get much new information today as they question Mr Lewandowski.
Mr Lewandowski is an outspoken and loyal former campaign manager, and is considering a run for the US Senate in New Hampshire.
Here's a message from his Twitter account, this morning:
“Excited about the opportunity to remind the American people today there was no collusion no obstruction,” he wrote hours ago. “There were lots of angry Democrats who tried to take down a duly elected President. Tune in. #Senate2020″.
OK, things have quieted down. Democrats are about to begin what is just the latest effort on their part to make good on public statements that they want to hold Donald Trump accountable — a message that resonates with many in their base — even as the White House has acted to curtail those efforts.
The White House has done its best, so far, to block oversight efforts, including by declining to provide House Democrats with new documents or by allowing former aides to testify.
Even if impeachment proceedings succeed, Senate Republicans are incredibly unlikely to find Mr Trump guilty on any of the charges, at least given the information we currently have.
And here it is, chairman Jerry Nadler has gaveled in the first impeachment hearings of Donald Trump.
Mr Nadler: "Today, despite the road block the White house has thrown up, we will focus on one of" the most concerning episode of obstruction detailed in the Mueller report.
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