Shortly after Democrats formally launched an impeachment inquiry into Donald Trump, the White House announced that neither the president nor the administration would cooperate with the investigation. Claiming that the “unprecedented” probe somehow violated Trump’s constitutional rights, counsel Pat Cipollone informed Nancy Pelosi and other top Democrats that the president had chosen to “reject” their “efforts to overturn the democratic process,” and would refuse to “participate” in the inquiry. In addition to not making the president available to lawmakers, that has meant blocking key staffers from appearing for questioning, a tactic a federal judge called bullshit on on Monday, saying that the White House’s argument for obstructing justice “is manifestly inconsistent with a governmental scheme that can only function properly if its institutions work together.” She also wrote, in a blow from which the president and his supporters are likely still recover, “Presidents are not kings,” and “they do not have subjects, bound by loyalty or blood, whose destiny they are entitled to control.”

The ruling, by U.S. District Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson, was specifically related to the case of former White House counsel Don McGahn, who was subpoenaed last April to testify about alleged acts of obstruction by Trump detailed in the Mueller report, and was blocked from doing so by the administration. But it is obviously far-reaching, particularly concerning the impeachment proceedings, and means that individuals the administration has refused to let testify, like say the Secretary of State, are now free to do so. (Though, naturally, loyal servants like Mike “God appointed Trump president” Pompeo are unlikely to suddenly go against their leader’s wishes.) Unsurprisingly, the ruling has been appealed.

For his part, the president claimed on Tuesday that while he would love to see people who know where all the Ukraine bodies are buried, allowing them to do so would jeopardize the ability of future presidents to commit impeachable offenses, and that’s not something he’s willing to have on his conscience.

“The D.C. Wolves and Fake News Media are reading far too much into people being forced by Courts to testify before Congress,” Trump wrote shortly before pardoning Bread and Butter the turkeys. “I am fighting for future Presidents and the Office of the President. Other than that, I would actually like people to testify. Don McGahn’s respected lawyer has already stated that I did nothing wrong. John Bolton is a patriot and may know that I held back the money from Ukraine because it is considered a corrupt country, & I wanted to know why nearby European countries weren’t putting up money also. Likewise, I would love to have Mike Pompeo, Rick Perry, Mick Mulvaney, and many others testify about the phony Impeachment Hoax. It is a Democrat Scam that is going nowhere but, future Presidents should in no way be compromised. What has happened to me should never happen to another President!”

Ya hear that future presidents? He’s doing this for you.

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Speaking of Mike Pompeo and Ukraine

On Tuesday the secretary of State suggested he may use the full weight of the State Department to investigate one of Trump’s thoroughly disproven fever dreams:

Pompeo said Tuesday that a debunked conspiracy theory pursued by President Trump accusing Ukraine, not Russia, of interfering in the 2016 presidential election by hacking the network of the Democratic National Committee is a worthy subject of investigation. In a news conference at the State Department, Pompeo was asked if the United States and Ukraine should investigate the conspiracy theory, which several former senior Trump officials have called a “fictional narrative” with “no validity.”

“Anytime there is information that indicates that any country has messed with American elections, we not only have a right but a duty to make sure we chase that down,” Pompeo told reporters…. Trump’s interest in the fringe theory came into prominence following the release of the rough transcript of his July 25 phone call with Ukraine’s president, in which Trump asked if Ukraine could “find out what happened with this whole situation with Ukraine” and “CrowdStrike.” The theory, which former White House official Fiona Hill last week said is “being perpetrated and propagated by the Russian security services,” is that Ukrainians actually hacked into the DNC’s networks in 2016 and framed Russia for the cyber-meddling.

While Trump told the gang on Fox & Friends last week that CrowdStrike is “owned by a very wealthy Ukrainian,” it is in fact a California-based company cofounded by a Russian-born American, a point of contention that has yet to burrow its way into the president’s head. “It’s not only a conspiracy theory, It is completely debunked,” Tom Bossert, a former Trump administration homeland security adviser, said in September. “At this point, I am deeply frustrated with what [Trump’s personal attorney Rudolph W. Giuliani] and the legal team are doing and repeating that debunked theory to the president. It sticks in his mind when he hears it over and over again, and for clarity let me just repeat that it has no validity.”

Here comes the Thanksgiving Category 5 meltdown

Bread and Butter’s relatives have been warned:

The House Judiciary Committee is set to take the baton in Democrats' impeachment inquiry next week at a public hearing scheduled for December 4. Chairman Jerry Nadler, D-N.Y., announced the hearing on Tuesday and notified President Trump that he has a few days to respond as to whether the president or his team will participate in the new stage of the process.

“As Chairman Schiff indicated yesterday, the impeachment inquiry is entering into a new phase,” Nadler said on Tuesday. “Our first task is to explore the framework put in place to respond to serious allegations of impeachable misconduct like those against President Trump.” Trump has until Sunday, December 1, at 6 p.m. to alert the Judiciary Committee of any plans to participate and if so, which counsel will represent him.

“At base,” Nadler added, “the president has a choice to make: He can take this opportunity to be represented in the impeachment hearings, or he can stop complaining about the process. I hope that he chooses to participate in the inquiry, directly or through counsel, as other presidents have done before him.” While it seems unlikely that the president will decide to participate—despite the White House’s claim that he’s been shut out and denied due process—the odds that he will also “stop complaining” seem roughly on par with those of Jared and Ivanka admitting they’re not qualified to run the West Wing coat check, and that they’re embarrassed about their attempts to convince people otherwise.

Trump uses turkey pardoning to work in some light impeachment comedy

Programming note: the Levin Report will be off for Thanksgiving, returning Monday, December 2. Enjoy the holiday, if that’s your thing!

Elsewhere!

Wall Street’s Warnings on Warren Turn Into Bet by One Hedge Fund (Bloomberg)

Dems seethe over Bloomberg GOP donations: “The hubris is unbelievable” (Politico)

Indiana manipulated report on Amazon worker’s death to lure HQ2, investigation says (Indy Star)

Rich Californians Shell Out $30,000 to Avoid Blackout Pain (Bloomberg)

White House Flummoxed by Sex of Hero Dog Conan (Intelligencer)

Waiting for Obama (Politico)

Bacon, Beer, and Dry Brine: 17 Chef Tips to Fast-Hack Thanksgiving (Bloomberg)

Commuters went rogue and staged a full Thanksgiving meal on the New York subway (Washington Post)

Christian Right Leaders Suggest Trump Critics Are Possessed by Demons (Intelligencer)

Papa John’s Founder Decries Pizza After Eating 40 in 30 Days (Bloomberg)

— Here’s why Kellyanne Conway is caught in the cross fire of the West Wing — Why do Dubai’s princesses keep trying to escape from their families? — Republicans’ attempt to smear a decorated war veteran promptly blew up in their faces— After the collapse of WeWork, Adam Neumann talks of himself as a martyr — Trump continues losing his mind as impeachment witnesses reveal more details — From the Archive: Going behind Bernie Madoff’s affable façade to reveal his most intimate betrayals

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