The Democratic leader dug in on her plans to withhold the articles after McConnell announced at a press conference earlier in the day that Republicans "Have the votes" to pass a resolution to start the impeachment trial without requiring additional witnesses and key documents.
The Democratic leader also continued to hammer McConnell for his earlier remarks that he would be in "Total coordination" with the White House on strategy for the impeachment trial.
"Sadly, Leader McConnell has made clear that his loyalty is to the President and not the Constitution. Leader McConnell has insisted that the approach under consideration is identical to those of the Clinton trial and that 'fair is fair.' This is simply not true," Pelosi wrote.
Pelosi's letter comes after she briefed Democratic members in a meeting earlier in the day that she will not hand over the two articles of impeachment - abuse of power and obstruction of justice - and spoke with lawmakers about her plan to keep up the fight.
During the meeting with Democrats' Steering and Policy Committee in the Capitol basement, Pelosi also sought to invalidate McConnell's argument that the Senate is merely following the same procedures that governed President Clinton's impeachment in the late 1990s.
Democrats have been pressing McConnell to allow them to call witnesses, and Pelosi has delayed passing the two articles as leverage in her demands for what she says is a fair trial.
McConnell has said that he wants to follow the Clinton impeachment process by having a first vote on a resolution setting the guidelines of the trial and then a separate vote over whether to call witnesses - something he and other Republicans have opposed.
https://thehill.com/policy/national-security/477259-pelosi-refuses-to-back-down-on-impeachment-rules-fight
The Democratic leader also continued to hammer McConnell for his earlier remarks that he would be in "Total coordination" with the White House on strategy for the impeachment trial.
"Sadly, Leader McConnell has made clear that his loyalty is to the President and not the Constitution. Leader McConnell has insisted that the approach under consideration is identical to those of the Clinton trial and that 'fair is fair.' This is simply not true," Pelosi wrote.
Pelosi's letter comes after she briefed Democratic members in a meeting earlier in the day that she will not hand over the two articles of impeachment - abuse of power and obstruction of justice - and spoke with lawmakers about her plan to keep up the fight.
During the meeting with Democrats' Steering and Policy Committee in the Capitol basement, Pelosi also sought to invalidate McConnell's argument that the Senate is merely following the same procedures that governed President Clinton's impeachment in the late 1990s.
Democrats have been pressing McConnell to allow them to call witnesses, and Pelosi has delayed passing the two articles as leverage in her demands for what she says is a fair trial.
McConnell has said that he wants to follow the Clinton impeachment process by having a first vote on a resolution setting the guidelines of the trial and then a separate vote over whether to call witnesses - something he and other Republicans have opposed.
https://thehill.com/policy/national-security/477259-pelosi-refuses-to-back-down-on-impeachment-rules-fight
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