officials defied subpoenas for testimony, namely mick mulvaney, robert blair, john eisenberg, michael ellis, preston griffith, russell vought, michael toughie, and t. ulrich brechbuhl, part of the president's efforts to encourage foreign interference in united states elections. by these actions the president sought to arrogate to himself the right to determine the nature of an impeachment inquiry into his own conduct as well as the unilateral prerogative to deny any and all information to the house of representatives and the exercise of its sole power of the impeachment. in the history of the republic no president has ordered the complete defiance of an impeachment inquiry or sought to obstruct so comprehensively the ability of the house of representatives to investigate high crimes and misdemeanors. this abuse of office served to cover up the president's own