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| Trump accuses Democrats of 'open war on American democracy' in stinging impeachment letter – live | Trump accuses Democrats of 'open war on American democracy' in stinging impeachment letter – live |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| President sends six-page letter to House speaker Nancy Pelosi condemning inquiry as ‘unprecedented and unconstitutional abuse of power’ | President sends six-page letter to House speaker Nancy Pelosi condemning inquiry as ‘unprecedented and unconstitutional abuse of power’ |
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| Congressman Jeff Van Drew, the House Democrat who has signaled he intends to switch parties over his opposition to impeachment, has reportedly bashed Trump in the past. | |
| The Daily Beast reports: | |
| Of the 31 House Democrats representing districts that Trump won in 2016, only two have not yet signaled how they will vote on the impeachment resolution. | |
| The overwhelming majority of the Democratic lawmakers -- 27 of them -- have said they will vote to impeach the president, while two have indicated they will oppose the resolution. | |
| Congressman Jeff Van Drew, who reportedly plans to switch his party affiliation to Republican over his opposition to impeachment, is now dodging reporters’ questions about whether he will make the change. | |
| But several of Van Drew’s staffers have already quit in protest of his plans, and the president tweeted out praise for the New Jersey congressman late last night. | |
| Two more House Democrats from Trump districts, Haley Stevens of Michigan and Lauren Underwood of Illinois, have confirmed they intend to vote in favor of impeaching the president. | Two more House Democrats from Trump districts, Haley Stevens of Michigan and Lauren Underwood of Illinois, have confirmed they intend to vote in favor of impeaching the president. |
| The announcements from the two congresswomen leave very few House Democrats who have not yet declared their support, quashing Republican hopes of picking off lawmakers across the aisle in order to claim bipartisan opposition to impeachment. | The announcements from the two congresswomen leave very few House Democrats who have not yet declared their support, quashing Republican hopes of picking off lawmakers across the aisle in order to claim bipartisan opposition to impeachment. |
| Over on Capitol Hill, the Blue Dog Coalition, a group of conservative Democrats, have just ejected congressman Jeff Van Drew as a member following reports the New Jersey lawmaker intended to switch parties over his opposition to impeachment. | Over on Capitol Hill, the Blue Dog Coalition, a group of conservative Democrats, have just ejected congressman Jeff Van Drew as a member following reports the New Jersey lawmaker intended to switch parties over his opposition to impeachment. |
| “Per our by laws, which require all members to be a member of the Democratic Party, Congressman Van Drew is no longer a member of the Blue Dog Coalition,” chairwoman Stephanie Murray said. | “Per our by laws, which require all members to be a member of the Democratic Party, Congressman Van Drew is no longer a member of the Blue Dog Coalition,” chairwoman Stephanie Murray said. |
| However, when asked about the news by a reporter, Van Drew interestingly appeared to raise doubt about whether he would actually switch his party affiliation to Republican. | However, when asked about the news by a reporter, Van Drew interestingly appeared to raise doubt about whether he would actually switch his party affiliation to Republican. |
| “They are doing that on the basis of the fact that it is a Demcoratic — and a good one — organization, and you could not be a member if you were to change. And they are assuming I’m going to change,” Van Drew said. | “They are doing that on the basis of the fact that it is a Demcoratic — and a good one — organization, and you could not be a member if you were to change. And they are assuming I’m going to change,” Van Drew said. |
| The president certainly seems to be under the impression that Van Drew is switching parties, tweeting out praise for the congressman late last night. | The president certainly seems to be under the impression that Van Drew is switching parties, tweeting out praise for the congressman late last night. |
| While speaking to reporters in the Oval Office moments ago, Trump slammed the impeachment inquiry as a “disgrace” and a “mark on our country.” | While speaking to reporters in the Oval Office moments ago, Trump slammed the impeachment inquiry as a “disgrace” and a “mark on our country.” |
| “Other presidents, in the future, unless they do something about this, other presidents are going to have to live with this,” Trump said, echoing an argument fro his Republican allies in Congress. | “Other presidents, in the future, unless they do something about this, other presidents are going to have to live with this,” Trump said, echoing an argument fro his Republican allies in Congress. |
| Asked by a reporter in the Oval Office whether he assumed any responsibility for the trajectory of the impeachment inquiry, Trump replied that he did not. | Asked by a reporter in the Oval Office whether he assumed any responsibility for the trajectory of the impeachment inquiry, Trump replied that he did not. |
| “No, I don’t take any. Zero, to put it mildly,” Trump responded. | “No, I don’t take any. Zero, to put it mildly,” Trump responded. |
| As Trump condemned the impeachment inquiry as an unconstitutional abuse of congressional power, Mitch McConnell was busy foreclosing any chance of an impartial Senate trial. | As Trump condemned the impeachment inquiry as an unconstitutional abuse of congressional power, Mitch McConnell was busy foreclosing any chance of an impartial Senate trial. |
| “I am not an impartial juror,” the Senate majority leader told reporters on Capitol Hill. “This is a political process. ... I expect we will have a largely partisan outcome in the Senate. I’m not impartial about this at all.” | “I am not an impartial juror,” the Senate majority leader told reporters on Capitol Hill. “This is a political process. ... I expect we will have a largely partisan outcome in the Senate. I’m not impartial about this at all.” |
| As the White House released an angry letter from Trump condemning the impeachment inquiry, the president himself similarly criticized House Democrats while speaking to reporters in the Oval Office. | As the White House released an angry letter from Trump condemning the impeachment inquiry, the president himself similarly criticized House Democrats while speaking to reporters in the Oval Office. |
| “The whole impeachment thing is a hoax,” Trump told reporters as he welcomed the Guatemalan president to the White House. “We look forward to getting on to the Senate. ... We’re not entitled to anything in the House. It’s a total sham.” | “The whole impeachment thing is a hoax,” Trump told reporters as he welcomed the Guatemalan president to the White House. “We look forward to getting on to the Senate. ... We’re not entitled to anything in the House. It’s a total sham.” |
| Trump defended his July phone call with the Ukrainian president, which kicked off the impeachment inquiry, as “absolutely perfect” and insisted Republicans are united in supporting him. | Trump defended his July phone call with the Ukrainian president, which kicked off the impeachment inquiry, as “absolutely perfect” and insisted Republicans are united in supporting him. |
| Trump’s letter to House speaker Nancy Pelosi condemning the impeachment inquiry reads much like his Twitter feed, complete with exclamation points and accusations of Democrats “declaring open war on American Democracy.” | Trump’s letter to House speaker Nancy Pelosi condemning the impeachment inquiry reads much like his Twitter feed, complete with exclamation points and accusations of Democrats “declaring open war on American Democracy.” |
| “You have cheapened the importance of the very ugly word, impeachment!” Trump wrote in the letter. | “You have cheapened the importance of the very ugly word, impeachment!” Trump wrote in the letter. |
| The president goes on to claim he has done nothing wrong in regards to his actions toward Ukraine, predicting Democrats will suffer electoral losses next year because of the impeachment inquiry. | The president goes on to claim he has done nothing wrong in regards to his actions toward Ukraine, predicting Democrats will suffer electoral losses next year because of the impeachment inquiry. |
| Trump has sent a six-page letter to House speaker Nancy Pelosi condemning the impeachment inquiry, calling it an “unprecedented and unconstiutional abuse of power.” | Trump has sent a six-page letter to House speaker Nancy Pelosi condemning the impeachment inquiry, calling it an “unprecedented and unconstiutional abuse of power.” |
| The House has passed its $1.3 trillion funding bill, likely avoiding a government shutdown at the end of the week -- assuming Trump follows through on signing it. | The House has passed its $1.3 trillion funding bill, likely avoiding a government shutdown at the end of the week -- assuming Trump follows through on signing it. |
| The first of the two bills -- which repealed three taxes in the Affordable Care Act and rasied the minimum age to buy tobacco products to 21, among other things -- passed 297-120. | The first of the two bills -- which repealed three taxes in the Affordable Care Act and rasied the minimum age to buy tobacco products to 21, among other things -- passed 297-120. |
| The second -- which controversially included funding for Trump’s border wall -- passed with a vote of 280-138. | The second -- which controversially included funding for Trump’s border wall -- passed with a vote of 280-138. |
| Kellyanne Conway, a senior White House adviser, said this morning the president was expected to sign the bills to avoid a government shutdown, even though Trump has previously complained about such massive spending bills. | Kellyanne Conway, a senior White House adviser, said this morning the president was expected to sign the bills to avoid a government shutdown, even though Trump has previously complained about such massive spending bills. |