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.

Nashville shooter Audrey Hale allegedly used federal student aid to buy guns for school attack

Judge Orders Release of Sealed Tyler Robinson Records

Dems Told Us Somalis Are Massive Contributors to Minnesota. Stats Prove That’s a Lie of Profound Proportions

Zelenskyy says peace deal is close after Trump meeting but territory remains sticking point

Texas man charged with attempting to provide material support to ISIS in federal terrorism case

Lapsed Epstein deadline underscores challenge of reviewing troves of files in 30 days

Swalwell slammed by Border Patrol commander over imagery showing ICE raiding Jesus Christ’s manger

Netanyahu says Trump to become first non-Israeli to receive Israel Prize

Home Owned by NASCAR Star Denny Hamlin Destroyed in Deadly Blaze

Look for Times Square Crystal Ball To Do Something Different This Year As USA’s 250th Birthday Approaches

Illegal immigrants allegedly ran multi-million-dollar gift card fraud scheme hitting stores daily across Texas

Trump rebukes Ukraine after Putin says his home was attacked

Gen. Flynn Sends Blistering Request to Trump: ‘We The People Demand Accountability!’

Jan. 6 pipe bomb suspect fights DOJ delay in turning over evidence

Trump Admin Stands Firm After Jesus-Centric Christmas Messages Spark Media Freak-Out

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: