There is no question that the inevitability of the conclusion of the Democratic impeachment “inquiry” will favor the Republican Party. We know this much to be true based wholly on the mathematics of the situation within the legislative branch.
And, as such, the White House is playing it cool; defying Democratic subpoenas much like you or I would swat away a nat at a picnic. They say it’s because the impeachment itself has been largely held in secret, but we know that’s just a surface-level argument. The reality of the situation is that Donald Trump cannot be impeached under the current congressional math.
So, regardless of how it appears to the general public, the White House is going to provide impeachment with the same bull in a china shop courtesy as it has to every other scandal it has thus far faced.
This week was no exception.
Four White House witnesses called before House committees on Monday as part of the impeachment inquiry of President Trump defied subpoenas by not showing up for their scheduled depositions.
Two officials — John Eisenberg, the lead attorney for the National Security Council, and Robert Blair, a top aide to acting White House chief of staff Mick Mulvaney — skipped depositions scheduled for Monday morning by the House Intelligence, Oversight, and Foreign Affairs Committees.
National Security Council aide Michael Ellis and Office of Management and Budget aide Brian McCormack were scheduled for the afternoon, and they failed to show up as well.
When it comes to enforcing their subpoenas beyond this simple subordinate behavior, the Democrats have already shown their hand by refusing to employ their power of contempt.
There have been no consequences whatsoever for the White House’s defiance thus far, leading many to believe that impeachment is an incurably flawed procedure.
