Thread by @josh_wingrove

The White House just fired back in an eight-page letter to Nancy Pelosi.

The letter, signed by White House Counsel Pat Cipollone, accuses the Democrats of using the impeachment process to overturn the results of the 2016 election.

The letter says Democrats have denied the President the right to cross-examine witnesses, receive transcripts of testimony or access evidence.

"President Trump and his Administration reject your baseless, unconstitutional efforts to overturn the democratic process," it says.

They demand "the right to see all evidence, to present evidence, to call witnesses, to have counsel present at all hearings, to cross-examine all witnesses, to make objections relating to the examination of witnesses or the admissibility of testimony and evidence," etc.

"The President cannot allow your constitutionally illegitimate proceedings to distract him and those in the Executive Branch from their work on behalf of the American people," it says.

"We hope that, in light of the many deficiencies we have identified in your proceedings, you will abandon the current invalid efforts to pursue an impeachment inquiry and join the President in focusing on the many important goals that matter to the American people," it says.

Letter here: whitehouse.gov/wp-content/upl…

"The Executive Branch cannot be expected to, and will not participate in, this exercise of partisan political theater," @PressSec adds in a statement.

@PressSec Shorter version of the White House message to Pelosi, on impeachment proceedings:

@PressSec A senior administration official, speaking on a background call with reporters, said this is basically a full halt on all participation. No testimony or documents, under subpoena or otherwise.

The official danced around what it would take for them to participate -- no red line.