WATCH: McCarthy says impeachment resolution only makes inquiry process ‘worse’

House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy said Democrats are abusing their power and discrediting democracy by “trying to impeach the president because they are scared they can’t defeat him at the ballot box.”

The California Republican spoke out against a package of impeachment rules approved Thursday.

McCarthy said that ever since Donald Trump’s election, Democrats have waged a “permanent campaign to undermine his legitimacy. They have predetermined the president’s guilt. They have never accepted the voters’ choice to make him president. So, for 37 days and counting, they have run an unprecedented, undemocratic and unfair investigation. This resolution only makes it worse.”

McCarthy said Democrats are “using secret interviews and selective leaks” to portray Trump’s legitimate actions as an impeachable offense. He is referring to the closed-door hearings in the House as Democrats gather evidence in the impeachment inquiry.

The Associated Press wrote this report. The PBS NewsHour produced the video.