Democrats subpoena White House documents in Trump impeachment inquiry
US House Democrats on Friday demanded that the White House turn over documents as part of their impeachment investigation into President Donald Trump.
The documents are related to a call between Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on 25 July and have been subpoenaed.
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The impeachment inquiry stems from the call and was raised by a whistleblower in August who alleged Trump had asked his counterpart to investigate leading Democratic political rival, Joe Biden, in exchange for a $400m military aid package that had been suspended – and was released in September.
Trump has denied any wrongdoing and accused his opponents of a “witch hunt”.
The latest move from the Democrats sees three House committees give Trump until 18 October to hand over documents related to the call.
“We deeply regret that President Trump has put us – and the nation – in this position, but his actions have left us with no choice but to issue this subpoena,” the Democrats wrote in a letter to the White House.
The subpoena was issued on Friday by the chairmen of the committees for Oversight, Intelligence and Foreign Affairs.
They said he had been “stonewalling” multiple requests for information and by refusing to voluntarily release the documents had “chosen the path of defiance, obstruction and cover-up”.
They also warned that failing to comply with the subpoena was “evidence of obstruction” which is also an impeachable offence.
White House press secretary Stephanie Grisham said it “changes nothing”.
“This subpoena changes nothing – just more document requests, wasted time, and taxpayer dollars that will ultimately show the President did nothing wrong,” Grisham said in a statement.
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Vice-President Mike Pence has also been asked to provide documents and to clarify “any role you may have played” in Trump’s dealings with Ukraine.
If the House of Representatives did vote to impeach Trump, a trial would held in the Senate.
For him to be removed from office, the Senate, made up of Republicans, would have to vote by a two-third majority to do so.