Trump Refuses to Take Part in This Week’s Impeachment Hearing, Claims Lack of ‘Fairness’

Neither President Donald Trump nor his lawyers will take part in Wednesday’s impeachment hearing. The House Judiciary Committee is due meet on 4 December and Trump was invited to attend or to send counsel. He has declined to do either.

White House Counsel Pat Cipollone said the hearing had a ‘complete lack of due process and fundamental fairness’.

However, Trump and is defenders have argued for weeks that the Intelligence Committee Hearings were unfair because the President had no representation. This argument now seems even more disingenuous as Trump has turned down the opportunity to be present at the hearing.

Judiciary Committee Chair Jerry Nadler made the invitation last Wednesday and it become immediately apparent that the Trump team would refuse. There is no legal obligation for Trump to be represented but the decision to forego representation may prove a poor decision.

There will be another hearing of the Judiciary Committee after 4 December but it’s not clear if Trump will send counsel. His team has until Friday to decide on the matter. The decision could change based on how Wednesday’s hearing goes. It is not expected to be positive for the President.