Trump refuses invitation to attend impeachment hearing

President's lawyers accuse the House of Representatives of conducting unfair prosecution but have not declined to attend sessions in the future

US President Donald Trump and his lawyers will not attend the first public hearing on impeachment to which they have been invited by the House of Representatives, the White House announced Sunday.

After two months of investigation, the House of Representatives Judiciary Committee begins on Wednesday 4 the legal debate to determine if the allegations against the president are serious enough to justify the opening of a political trial.

Trump was invited to attend in person , through his lawyers or by sending written questions to the witnesses. But the White House rejected the invitation.

"They cannot expect us to participate fairly in a hearing when witnesses are yet to be appointed and while it remains unclear whether the Judiciary Committee will allow the president a fair trial through additional hearings," wrote White House lawyer Pat Cipollone, in a letter to Committee Chairman Jerry Nadler.

“Under the current circumstances we do not intend to attend your hearing on Wednesday. But if they really decide to do a fair process in the future, we could consider participating, ”he added.

Trump is in the midst of a political storm because he has asked Ukraine to investigate Joe Biden, one of his potential opponents in the 2020 presidential election and whose son was on the board of a large gas company in eastern Europe.

The Republican president says he was entitled to report a possible case of corruption and claims that he did not exert any pressure on Kiev.