McConnell blasts impeachment inquiry as 'kangaroo court' in fundraising pitch

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnellAddison (Mitch) Mitchell McConnellSenate advances public lands bill in late-night vote GOP senator to try to reverse requirement that Pentagon remove Confederate names from bases No, ‘blue states’ do not bail out ‘red states’ MORE (R-Ky.) is doubling down on his criticism of the House impeachment inquiry, using a fundraising pitch to accuse Speaker Nancy PelosiNancy PelosiTrump on collision course with Congress over bases with Confederate names Black lawmakers unveil bill to remove Confederate statues from Capitol Pelosi: Georgia primary ‘disgrace’ could preview an election debacle in November MORE (D-Calif.) of running a “kangaroo court.”   “Well Nancy Pelosi is conducting a kangaroo court over in the House, denying the president his due process rights that every American is entitled to,” McConnell says in the Facebook ad. “If I have your support, I hope you’ll donate now.” McConnell’s campaign, according to Facebook’s ad library, began running the ads on Thursday.  ADVERTISEMENTEach version of the Facebook ad includes the same video pitch from McConnell, but paired with five different captions that blast House Democrats over the impeachment inquiry.  In one caption for the ad, McConnell’s team argues that “we cannot sit back and let the House Dems deny President TrumpDonald John TrumpSenate advances public lands bill in late-night vote Warren, Democrats urge Trump to back down from veto threat over changing Confederate-named bases Esper orders ‘After Action Review’ of National Guard’s role in protests MORE basic fairness and due process. Help me fight this kangaroo court!” Another mentions the Senate GOP resolution formally condemning the House impeachment inquiry. The resolution, spearheaded by Sen. Lindsey GrahamLindsey Olin GrahamHillicon Valley: Biden calls on Facebook to change political speech rules | Dems demand hearings after Georgia election chaos | Microsoft stops selling facial recognition tech to police OVERNIGHT DEFENSE: Joint Chiefs chairman says he regrets participating in Trump photo-op | GOP senators back Joint Chiefs chairman who voiced regret over Trump photo-op | Senate panel approves 0B defense policy bill GOP senators back Joint Chiefs chairman who voiced regret over Trump photo-op MORE (R-S.C.), is backed by all but three Republican senators: Susan CollinsSusan Margaret CollinsRepublicans prepare to punt on next COVID-19 relief bill Trump tweets spark fresh headache for Republicans Trump’s tweet on protester sparks GOP backlash  MORE (R-Maine), Lisa MurkowskiLisa Ann MurkowskiMilley discussed resigning from post after Trump photo-op: report OVERNIGHT DEFENSE: Joint Chiefs chairman says he regrets participating in Trump photo-op | GOP senators back Joint Chiefs chairman who voiced regret over Trump photo-op | Senate panel approves 0B defense policy bill Trump administration seeks to use global aid for nuclear projects MORE (R-Alaska) and Mitt RomneyWillard (Mitt) Mitt RomneyMilley discussed resigning from post after Trump photo-op: report Trump on collision course with Congress over bases with Confederate names Attorney says 75-year-old man shoved by Buffalo police suffered brain injury MORE (R-Utah).  It’s the latest example of the GOP leader seizing on the impeachment fight as he runs for re-election in the solidly red state of Kentucky. The campaign also ran ads on Facebook earlier this month that pitched McConnell, and a GOP Senate, as a roadblock to prevent Trump from being removed from office.  Neither this video nor the previous video address the core allegations against Trump: that he asked a foreign government to investigate a potential political rival, and held up Ukraine aid to try to pressure the country into opening up a probe into former Vice President Biden and his son Hunter Biden.  McConnell has largely avoided commenting on Trump’s behavior. Asked this week by a reporter about Trump’s claim that McConnell had told him the Ukraine call was “perfect” and “innocent,” the GOP leader said they had never discussed the call.  “We have not had any conversations on this subject,” McConnell said Tuesday during a weekly press conference. Trump, according to a partial transcript released by the White House, urged Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to work with his personal attorney, Rudy GiulianiRudy GiulianiSunday shows preview: Protests against George Floyd’s death, police brutality rock the nation for a second week Piers Morgan, Rudy Giuliani in furious debate over Trump: ‘You sound completely barking mad’ Rudy Giuliani calls on Cuomo to remove Bill de Blasio MORE, to “look into” the Bidens. ADVERTISEMENTPressed last week by a reporter if the call was appropriate, McConnell demurred instead knocking House Democrats over the impeachment inquiry process.  “If they’re going to do it, at least they ought to provide him the kind of due process protections that we provided President Clinton in a similar situation years ago,” McConnell told reporters.  Republicans have seized on the process argument as they’ve looked for a unifying strategy in the impeachment fight.  Trump and his allies are trying to push House Democrats to hold a formal vote to start the impeachment inquiry, something Pelosi has argued isn’t required under the rules.  But Republicans believe a vote would put vulnerable swing-district Democrats on the record and give the GOP more leeway to call its own witnesses.  McConnell criticized House Democrats several times during the past two weeks.  “What is clear and not in dispute … is the process in the House to which the president has been subjected is totally unprecedented and totally unfair,” he told reporters on Tuesday when asked about the GOP’s willingness to defend Trump. 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