Good Wednesday morning. I'm Anna Palmer and welcome to your Politico Playbook audio briefing.

Stay tuned after the show for a message from the Coalition Against Socialized Medicine.

Okay, so now we see for sure what the White House strategy is.

It is not only to refuse to cooperate in the impeachment probe, but it is also practically to deny that Congress has any legitimate

right to impeach President Donald Trump, period. This shouldn't be surprising. We've been headed

in this direction for a while now. It basically ensures the president will be impeached for

interfering with the work of Congress. Kyle Cheney and Andrew DeZadario write that this will

set up a constitutional clash with Congress. The White Housey and Andrew Dizzadario write that this will set up a constitutional clash

with Congress. The White House, all but declared it will refuse to engage in a process it considers

to be constitutionally invalid. The eight-page letter reads more like a political document instead

of a legal one. The AP notes that it lacked much in the way of legal arguments and legal experts

cast doubt on its effectiveness.

And here is how House Republicans plan to handle it.

They are saying that House Intel chairman and Adam Schiff and Speaker Nancy Pelosi,

a pair of California Democrats that the GOP believes is unpopular with their base,

are trying to railroad a duly elected president just before an election.

They are saying that Democrats are ignoring decades of precedent.

Somewhat true, somewhat false.

To slag Trump.

They won't even hold a vote to start the process of throwing him out, Republicans say,

even though it's not necessary.

Of course, this does not deal squarely with the substance, whether it is appropriate

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