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.

Pastor of Cities Church Speaks Out After Don Lemon’s Arrest

Behind the scenes: Trump and White House rally behind Noem as ‘radicals’ demand ouster

US escalates sanctions on Iranian officials as Trump considers military options

WATCH: If Trump Bowed to Dems on Narco-Boats, Nearly 1 Million Americans Could Die, And 126 Narco-Terrorists Would Be Alive – That’s What Today’s Democrats Are Demanding

EXCLUSIVE: Epstein emails to be released as DOJ says no criminal or inappropriate conduct by Trump

Reporter’s Notebook: Senate funding deal hits snag as Graham presses sanctuary city vote

Watch: Trump’s Hilariously Honest Response to Reports He Fell Asleep During the Last Cabinet Meeting

Texas Issues Disaster Declaration as Flesh-Eating Parasite Spreads North from Mexico

Federal agents arrest 3 more people in connection to Minnesota church storming

Accused US killer captured in Mexico after monthslong international manhunt for recycling bin murder

Damning Video: Trump Plays Elizabeth Warren’s Eulogy for Alex Pretti Over Footage of Pretti Wildly Attacking ICE, Destroying Property – the Result Is Truly Blistering

Ilhan Omar Has Bizarre Response When Questioned About What She Did After Being Sprayed by Vinegar

Federal judge backs away from threat to hold ICE leader in contempt

Trump and GOP eye midterm convention cities in high-stakes bid to hold House, Senate

Trump officials work to ease tensions in Minneapolis as secretive negotiations progress

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: