DEMS/IMPEACHMENT/NANCY PELOSI/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “A bloc of liberal Democrats began pressing on Tuesday [5-21-19] for an impeachment inquiry of President Trump, underscoring party divisions and the growing difficulties that Speaker Nancy Pelosi faces as she tries to chart a more methodical course. Mr. Trump’s latest defiance of congressional oversight demands precipitated the break among Democrats. The former White House counsel Donald F. McGahn II, who had been called to testify on Tuesday before the House Judiciary Committee about the president’s attempts to obstruct the Russia investigation, skipped the scheduled hearing after Mr. Trump ordered him to ignore lawmakers’ subpoena. Representative Jerrold Nadler of New York, the committee chairman, promised to hold Mr. McGahn in contempt of Congress and warned other potential witnesses to expect new hardball tactics — like changing House rules to allow fines for people held in contempt — but he stopped short of publicly endorsing impeachment.”
–Nicholas Fandos, “Democratic Calls for Impeachment Inquiry Grow as Leaders Instead Vow to Toughen Tactics,” The New York Times online, May 21, 2019