Since Democrats began an impeachment inquiry, President Donald Trump has repeatedly lashed out at Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., the House Intelligence Committee chairman, by accusing him of treason and demanding that he be removed from office.
On Sunday night, Trump repeated those claims on Twitter - and this time, suggested that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., is also guilty of "High Crimes and Misdemeanors, and even Treason," while insisting that both Democratic leaders should be impeached.
"Nancy Pelosi knew all of the many Shifty Adam Schiff lies and massive frauds perpetrated upon Congress and the American people, in the form of a fraudulent speech knowingly delivered as a ruthless con, and the illegal meetings with a highly partisan 'Whistleblower' & lawyer," he tweeted.
The tweets came on a typical Sunday evening for the president, who sent a flurry of missives alternately bashing and praising cable news interviews about the deepening political crisis that's threatening his presidency and paralyzing many inside the Republican Party, as The Washington Post's Robert Costa and Philip Rucker reported.
Nancy Pelosi knew of all of the many Shifty Adam Schiff lies and massive frauds perpetrated upon Congress and the American people, in the form of a fraudulent speech knowingly delivered as a ruthless con, and the illegal meetings with a highly partisan “Whistleblower” & lawyer...
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 7, 2019
Amid the inquiry into Trump's request that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky investigate former vice president Joe Biden and his son Hunter, the president has increasingly accused his perceived enemies - from Democratic leaders to the anonymous whistleblower who sparked the probe - of treason.
Schiff, who is leading the Democratic inquiry, has come in for particularly withering criticism. Trump has slammed Schiff for falsely stating that his committee hadn't spoken to the whistleblower and for paraphrasing the president's conversation with Zelensky during a hearing.
On Sunday, the president aimed his ire at Pelosi as well, whom he has complained is short-circuiting the impeachment process by starting an inquiry without a full House vote.
"I guess that means that they, along with all of those that evilly 'Colluded' with them, must all be immediately Impeached!" he tweeted.
....This makes Nervous Nancy every bit as guilty as Liddle’ Adam Schiff for High Crimes and Misdemeanors, and even Treason. I guess that means that they, along with all of those that evilly “Colluded” with them, must all be immediately Impeached!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 7, 2019
House and Senate members cannot be impeached; rather, both bodies can expel members with a two-thirds vote - a process that doesn't involve the president. That didn't stop Trump from also demanding on Saturday that Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, be impeached.
Last week, Pelosi said that Trump is "scared" of the impeachment inquiry.
"Congress must not back down from our duty to defend the Constitution as @realDonaldTrump ignores the Founders' warnings about foreign interference at every turn. #TruthExposed," she tweeted on Friday.
Pelosi hasn't committed to holding a full House vote on the impeachment inquiry. On Friday, Trump conceded that Democrats likely have enough votes to impeach him.