Originally posted by the Voice of America.
Voice of America content is produced by the Voice of America,
a United States federal government-sponsored entity, and is in
the public domain.


White House Says It Will Skip Wednesday's Impeachment Hearing

VOA News

   The White House says it will not participate in Wednesday impeachment
   hearing by the House Judiciary Committee.

   Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler invited U.S. President Donald Trump
   and his counsel to attend the committee's first hearing as the
   impeachment inquiry moves into its next phase.

   While no one expected Trump to attend - he plans to be at a NATO summit
   near London this week - White House counsel Pat Cipollone is also
   declining the invitation.

   "We cannot fairly be expected to participate in a hearing while the
   witnesses are yet to be named and while it remains unclear whether the
   Judiciary Committee will afford the president a fair process through
   additional hearings," Cipollone said in a letter to Nadler late Sunday.

   Cipollone said he will reply by the end of the week on whether the
   White House would appear at future hearings.

   Nadler assured Trump and his counsel in his invitation letter last week
   that he "remains committed to ensuring a fair and informative process."

   He said Trump has the "opportunity to be represented in the impeachment
   hearings, or he can stop complaining about the process."

.