The latest on the Trump impeachment inquiry: Live updates - CNN International

A push by House Democrats to impeach President Donald Trump by Christmas reflects urgent political pressures but also a deeper driving force: a belief that they have got the impeachment goods on him.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's generals are cranking up the pace of their investigation ahead of next week's televised hearings, which will stress the grave historic reality of what lies ahead.

It makes sense for Democrats to seize the moment as the attention of the nation is focused on impeachment, as a torrent of evidence runs in their favor and as flailing Republicans struggle to settle on a coherent defense of the President.

In a sign the White House is trying to stem the Democratic momentum, a White House official told CNN that acting White House chief of staff Mick Mulvaney is unlikely to appear to testify Friday despite the subpoena he was issued Thursday.

Polls showing a modest spike in the number of Americans in favor of impeaching and removing Trump are another argument for a swift process before the public tires of the whole thing. Speed could help Democrats fashion a concise but direct argument that Trump abused his power by using his authority to set foreign policy in order to demand political favors of a vulnerable government in Ukraine.

All that explains why when former national security adviser John Bolton refused to testify before impeachment investigators Thursday, they declined to issue a subpoena even though he is considered an insider witness with a colorful story to tell.

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