Pelosi to GOP: We are not dropping impeachment probe

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi fired back at Kevin McCarthy, who earlier in the day asked his fellow Californian to drop the impeachment inquiry into President Trump. 

“I received your letter this morning shortly after the world witnessed President Trump on national television asking yet another foreign power to interfere in the upcoming 2020 elections,” Pelosi said Thursday, referring to Trump’s South Lawn comments in which he called on China to investigate former Vice President Joe Biden.

“We hope you and other Republicans share our commitment to following the facts, upholding the Constitution, protecting our national security, and defending the integrity of our elections at such a serious moment in our nation’s history,” Pelosi wrote to the Republican House minority leader.

Democrats launched an impeachment inquiry last month after learning Trump asked Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to investigate corruption allegations related to Biden, who is running for president.

Pelosi, in an earlier statement Thursday, criticized Trump’s latest comments, in which he called on China to investigate Biden, as “just the latest example of him putting his personal political gain ahead of defending the integrity of our elections.”

McCarthy wrote Pelosi Thursday morning calling on her to drop the impeachment probe “until transparent and equitable rules and procedures are established.”

Pelosi has not called for a formal House vote to launch an impeachment probe, which would have triggered a more formal process and provided the GOP with some rights and control over proceedings.

Pelosi responded to McCarthy that there is no rule requiring an impeachment inquiry vote.

“The existing rules of the House provide House committees with full authority to conduct investigations for all matters under their jurisdiction, including impeachment investigations,” Pelosi said.

“There is no requirement under the Constitution, under House rules, or House precedent that the whole House vote before proceeding with an impeachment inquiry.”