Page 17 - HOH

A4 U.S. NEWS
Wednesday 22 May 2019

Democratic impeachment calls

swell as McGahn defies subpoena

By MARY CLARE JALONICK Tuesday. Michigan, has called for
and LISA MASCARO A growing number of rank- impeachment proceed-
Associated Press and-file House Democrats, ings. He said Tuesday he
WASHINGTON (AP) — More incensed by former coun- thinks other GOP lawmak-
Democrats are calling — sel Don McGahn's empty ers should join him — but
and more loudly — for im- chair in the Judiciary Com- only after reading special
peachment proceedings mittee hearing room, are counsel Robert Mueller's re-
against President Donald confronting House Speaker port carefully.
In this Sept. 6, 2018, file photo, White House counsel Don Mc- Trump after his latest defi- Nancy Pelosi and pushing Republican House leader
Gahn listens as President Donald Trump's Supreme Court nomi- ance of Congress by block- her and other leaders to Kevin McCarthy dismissed
nee, Brett Kavanaugh testifies before the Senate Judiciary Com- ing his former White House act. Their impatience is run- Amash as out of step with
mittee on Capitol Hill in Washington. lawyer from testifying on ning up against the speak- House Republicans and
Associated Press er's preference for a more "out of step with America."
methodical approach , in- And Sen. Lindsey Graham
cluding already-unfolding of South Carolina said
court battles. wryly of Amash's position, "I
Pelosi summoned some of don't think it's going to be a
them — still a small fraction trend-setting move."
of the House Democratic As Democrats weigh their
caucus — to a meeting of options, Trump is almost
investigators Wednesday taunting them by testing
to assess strategy. the bounds of executive
Some other Democratic power in ways few other
leaders, while backing Pe- administrations have. The
losi, signaled that a march White House contends that
to impeachment may at even former employees like
some point become inevi- McGahn do not have to
table. abide by subpoenas from
"We are confronting Congress.
what might be the larg- A short time later House Ju-
est, broadest cover-up in diciary Chairman Jerrold
American history," Major- Nadler issued subpoenas
ity Leader Steny Hoyer told for more Trump administra-
reporters. If a House inquiry tion officials — former White
"leads to other avenues House communications di-
including impeachment," rector Hope Hicks and An-
the Maryland Democrat nie Donaldson, a former
said, "so be it." aide in the White House
Reps. Joaquin Castro of counsel's office — for doc-
Texas and Diana DeGette uments and testimony.
of Colorado added their Trump's former White House
voices to the impeach- counsel is the most-cited
ment inquiry chorus. witness in Mueller's Trump-
"There is political risk in do- Russia investigation report,
ing so, but there's a greater recounting the president's
risk to our country in doing attempts to interfere with
nothing," Castro said on the probe. And that makes
Twitter. "This is a fight for our his silence all the more infu-
democracy." riating for Democrats.
Tweeted DeGette: "The Nadler gaveled open Tues-
facts laid out in the Muel- day's hearing with a stern
ler report, coupled with this warning that McGahn will
administration's ongoing be held in contempt for
attempts to stonewall Con- failing to appear.
gress, leave us no other "Our subpoenas are not
choice." optional," Nadler said. "We
One Republican con- will not allow the president
gressman, Justin Amash of to stop this investigation."q