Jerry Nadler Gives Trump Friday Deadline; Impeachment to Include Russia Collusion

House Judiciary Committee chairman Rep. Jerry Nadler (D-NY) wrote to President Donald Trump Friday, giving him until Friday, Dec. 6., to answer whether he and his lawyers would participate in the “impeachment inquiry.”

Nadler’s letter quotes the forthcoming report from the House Intelligence Committee, which will be written entirely by Democrats and which will recommend drafting articles of impeachment against the president. The report will state that there was “a months-long effort in which President Trump again sought foreign interference in our elections for his personal and political benefit at the expense of our national interest”; and that the president conducted “an unprecedented campaign of obstruction in an effort to prevent the Committees from obtaining documentary evidence and testimony.”

The word “again” suggests that the House Intelligence Committee will not limit its report to allegations that Trump invited Ukraine to interfere in the 2020 election, but will also state that Trump sought Russian interference in the 2016 election — even though Special Counsel Robert Mueller found there to be no evidence of such collusion.

Turkey accuses Netanyahu of pursuing ‘expansionist’ policies after Israeli strike on Syrian airbase

California special interest groups follow Newsom into early 2028 primary states

Hegseth’s growing campaign role sparks talk of political future

‘How Weak Are You?’: Watch as Vet Who Lost Both Legs in Afghanistan Shreds Sailors Whining About Food on USS Abraham Lincoln

Minnesota prosecutor accused of billing Medicaid from commercial sex house she turned into assisted-living facility

Socialists capture major Florida victory on hit-or-miss night for Trump-endorsed primary candidates

Inside the tension that drove Trump’s South Korea alliance from ‘historic new era’ to military pullback

State of play: What to know about California showdown to replace Swalwell after massive scandal

Former state rep tops ranked-choice slugfest as Alaska advances nominees for governor

Alaskan political scion hopes to hold onto state’s single House seat

America’s reddest state crowns GOP governor nominee

Democrats pick their fighter for uphill bid to flip deep-red Senate seat

69 live animals found stuffed in pillowcases in hidden car compartment after border arrest: Feds

Prosecutors hammer Tyler Robinson’s bid to derail death penalty in Charlie Kirk murder case

Maryland rocked by third beaver attack in weeks after 2 animals test positive for rabies

Nadler added that Trump is being investigated for obstruction of justice, relating to actions described by Mueller in the second volume of his report, though Mueller did not recommend prosecution and Attorney General William Barr rejected obstruction charges against Trump on the merits.

The White House cooperated fully with Mueller and never exerted executive privilege over any witnesses or documents. It has resisted participating in the House “impeachment inquiry,” which it regards as illegitimate.

Nadler has invited the president and his counsel to call and question witnesses, in accordance with the House resolution authorizing the impeachment inquiry last month — though the president was not allowed to do so in the Intelligence Committee inquiry. However, Nadler and the Democratic majority on the committee can overrule requests for witnesses.

In addition, the House Rules Committee warned last month that Nadler would be allowed to limit the president’s ability to call witnesses if he does not provide witnesses and documents the committee wants.

Republicans criticized Nadler’s letter. Rep. Mark Meadows (R-NC), who participated in the earlier round of closed-door hearings, said that Nadler’s letter proved that the president had previously been denied due process rights: