Sign up for our daily briefing
Make your busy days simpler with Axios AM/PM. Catch up on what's new and why it matters in just 5 minutes.
Catch up on coronavirus stories and special reports, curated by Mike Allen everyday
Catch up on coronavirus stories and special reports, curated by Mike Allen everyday
Denver news in your inbox
Catch up on the most important stories affecting your hometown with Axios Denver
Des Moines news in your inbox
Catch up on the most important stories affecting your hometown with Axios Des Moines
Minneapolis-St. Paul news in your inbox
Catch up on the most important stories affecting your hometown with Axios Twin Cities
Tampa Bay news in your inbox
Catch up on the most important stories affecting your hometown with Axios Tampa Bay
Charlotte news in your inbox
Catch up on the most important stories affecting your hometown with Axios Charlotte
Photo: Spencer Platt/Getty Images
The Democratic chairs of the House Intelligence, Oversight and Foreign Affairs committees sent a letter to White House counsel Pat Cipollone on Tuesday demanding that the Trump administration turn over documents related to the president's alleged attempts to pressure the Ukrainian government to investigate Joe Biden by Thursday.
"If the recent reports are accurate, it means the President raised with a foreign leader pursuing investigations related to a political opponent in an upcoming U.S. election. That is the very definition of corrupt abuse of power."
Why it matters: The letter marks a significant escalation of rhetoric from House Democrats — one that aligns with speculation that the caucus could launch impeachment proceedings imminently if Trump fails to cooperate with the Ukraine investigation.
- The chairs wrote that that Trump's alleged wrongdoing is compounded by the administration's efforts to block an intelligence community whistleblower from reporting a complaint to Congress.
- They called on the administration to ensure that officials with knowledge of the complaint are not subject to "intimidation, reprisal or threat of reprisal," which they said would be "illegal" and treated with the "utmost gravity."
- The letter closes: "Failure to comply with our request will compel our [committees] to resort to escalated measures."
Read the letter: