President Donald Trump's White House Counsel Pat Cipollone sent a letter to Judiciary Chairman Jerry Nadler (D-NY) telling him that neither the president nor his lawyers will participate in the hearings.
Trump and the GOP have complained for the past several weeks that Democrats are violating the Constitution by not allowing Trump "Due Process" in the impeachment inquiry. The trial for the impeachment doesn't take place in the House, rather it takes place in the U.S. Senate, which would allow Trump and his legal team an opportunity to mount a defense.
Still, however, Nadler invited Trump to participate after complaints he wasn't able to defend himself.
"We cannot fairly be expected to participate in a hearing while the witnesses are yet to be named," Cipollone complained in a letter. “It remains unclear” whether the Judiciary Committee “will afford the President a fair process” through more hearings.
The letter also complained that it was obvious the Democrats were scheduling the hearings for when Trump was away for the NATO summit. In fact, Republicans have complained that the hearings are going on too long. Pausing until the president is back in town would mean holding hearings during the Christmas holiday or waiting until the new year and dragging out the process.
See the letter below: