Charlie Hurt on Democrats' impeachment push: The caboose is leading the train
House Judiciary Committee schedules first impeachment hearing for December 4; reaction from Fox News contributor Charlie Hurt.
As House Democrats ramp up their impeachment push against President Trump by scheduling a Dec. 4 hearing by the House Judiciary Committee, Fox News contributor Charlie Hurt called the move a “terrible precedent.”
“This is a terrible precedent of changing the most powerful tool in the legislative branch to go after the executive branch to use it for politics,” Hurt told, “The Daily Briefing with Dana Perino.” “That’s not what it’s intended for."
JUDICIARY COMMITTEE ANNOUNCES DECEMBER IMPEACHMENT HEARING, INVITES TRUMP TO PARTICIPATE
The House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler, D-N.Y., penned a letter to the president on Tuesday announcing a hearing for Dec. 4 at 10 a.m., and notifying him of the committee’s intentions to provide him with “certain privileges” while they consider "whether to recommend articles of impeachment to the full House.”
TRUMP DEFENDS MOVE TO BLOCK IMPEACHMENT TESTIMONY, SAYS HE IS PROTECTING 'FUTURE PRESIDENTS'
Nadler also extended an invitation to Trump, asking whether “you and your counsel plan to attend the hearing or make a request to question the witness panel.”
Last week, the president blasted the impeachment inquiry altogether, and said: “Frankly, I want a [Senate] trial.”
At the center of the impeachment inquiry, which began in September, is Trump’s July 25 phone call with Ukraine's president. That call prompted a whistleblower complaint to the intelligence community inspector general, and in turn, the impeachment inquiry in the House. Trump challenged the accuracy of the complaint, though the transcript released by the White House did support the core allegations that he pressed for politically related investigations.
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The president’s request came after millions in U.S. military aid to Ukraine had been frozen, which Democrats and witnesses have claimed shows a "quid pro quo" arrangement. Trump denies any wrongdoing.
Fox News’ Brooke Singman contributed to this report.
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