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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Mr Lewandowski has been accused of being a "Forest Gump" of corruption, unless he knew what was happening when Mr Trump asked him to fire Robert Mueller.
Representative Jim Jordan is praising Donald Trump, Mr Lewandowski is pleased with that, and they are now going over Mr Lewandowski's statements that he did not work with Russia during the campaign.
Mr Jordan is claiming that Democrats have been calling Mr Lewandowski names.
Representative Hank Johnson just told Mr Lewandowski that he is like a fish being cleaned with a spoon, because he has been difficult to get answers out of today.
Rep Jackson Le has taken offense at a Republican colleague calling Democrats "idiots".
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