Page:Impeachment of Donald J. Trump, President of the United States — Report of the Committee on the Judiciary, House of Representatives.pdf/161

 *At the time the Investigating Committees served these subpoenas, and continually since then, they were acting pursuant to a House impeachment inquiry under Article I of the Constitution.
 * Even before the House launched its Ukraine inquiry, President Trump rejected the authority of Congress to investigate his actions, stating, "We're fighting all the subpoenas," and "I have an Article [II], where I have the right to do whatever I want as President."
 * Writing "on behalf of President Donald J. Trump," White House Counsel Pat A. Cipollone sent a letter to senior House officials on October 8, 2019, confirming that President Trump had directed his entire Administration to defy the impeachment inquiry. Mr. Cipollone wrote: "President Trump cannot permit his Administration to participate in this partisan inquiry under these circumstances."
 * Two days later, President Trump agreed that Mr. Cipollone was conveying the President's direction in the October 8 letter. President Trump stated: "As our brilliant White House Counsel wrote to the Democrats yesterday, he said their highly partisan and unconstitutional effort threatens grave and lasting damage to our democratic institutions, to our system of free elections, and to the American people. That's what it is. To the American people. It's so terrible. Democrats are on a crusade to destroy our democracy. That's what's happening. We will never let it happen. We will defeat them."
 * President Trump's direction was categorical and indiscriminate: he directed all agencies, offices, and officials not to cooperate with the impeachment inquiry. In other words, President Trump directed officials throughout the Executive Branch to violate their own independent legal obligations.