Impeachment hearing exposes 'absolute coverup by White House', as former top aide dodges questions

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Corey Lewandowski reads aloud from White House letter directing him not to answer questions in impeachment hearing

Democrats in the House Judiciary Committee have launched the first impeachment hearings into allegations that Donald Trump obstructed justice and abused power, with the president's former campaign manager Corey Lewandowski appearing before the committee as the first witness to testify on questions that were raised by the Mueller report released earlier this year.

The witness had been gagged by the White House, however, and two more aides – Rick Dearborn and Rob Porter – were reportedly told to ignore subpoenas and not attend the session with the Democratic-led panel on the grounds that they are protected by “absolute immunity”.

"The White House has no authority legal or otherwise to give these orders," House Judiciary chairman Jerry Nadler said of those gags.

But, Mr Lewandowski nevertheless refused to answer questions from Democrats, citing a gag letter from the White House, where he never worked.

The president’s latest campaign rally on Monday evening saw him attempt to appeal to the Hispanic voters of New Mexico he alienated in 2016, a day bookended by his calls for resignations at The New York Times over the latest sexual misconduct allegations against Supreme Court justice Brett Kavanaugh and a new poll forecasting Mr Trump’s defeat in key 2020 swing states.

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Key Points

• Trump's ex-campaign Corey Lewandowski manager appears before impeachment panel
• Mr Lewandowski refuses to answer questions from the committee, citing a gag letter form the White House — where he never worked
• New poll forecasts president losing key swing states in 2020
• Trump's appeal to Hispanic voters in New Mexico hit by protests, flies
• New York prosecutors subpoena eight years of Trump tax returns
• President calls for NYT resignations over Brett Kavanaugh story

[17 September 2019 23:25 · Lily Puckett]

While Trump continues to swipe at his predecessor's environmental strides, former president Barack Obama met with climate activist Greta Thunberg yesterday. 

"Last year, Greta started sitting outside of her country's parliament in Stockholm with a sign reading: 'School Strike for Climate.' Today, that humble beginning has transformed into a global movement of millions of young people organized to combat climate change and promote clean energy," Obama wrote in the Obama Foundation's official statement regarding the meeting. "That's the power of young people--unafraid to believe that change is possible and willing to challenge conventional wisdom, Greta and her generation are making their voices heard, even at a young age. That's what's possible when we let young people lead the way.

[17 September 2019 23:50 · Lily Puckett]

Ahmed Baba breaks down the hearing Corey Lewandowski, which he called a "microcosm of the culture of corruption President Trump has cultivated."