House Democratic leaders facing liberal calls for impeaching President Trump Donald John TrumpBiden on Trump's refusal to commit to peaceful transfer of power: 'What country are we in?' Romney: 'Unthinkable and unacceptable' to not commit to peaceful transition of power Two Louisville police officers shot amid Breonna Taylor grand jury protests MORE are confronting increasing pressure from an unlikely faction: Republicans who appear eager to goad them into it.

Speaker Nancy Pelosi Nancy PelosiHoyer: House should vote on COVID-19 aid — with or without a bipartisan deal Ruth Bader Ginsburg lies in repose at Supreme Court McCarthy threatens motion to oust Pelosi if she moves forward with impeachment MORE (D-Calif.) and her leadership team have repeatedly sought to defuse the appeals for impeachment hearings, deeming them premature, and some Democrats sense the Republicans are setting a political trap to boost their ally in the White House.

But recent stonewalling actions by the administration have only fueled the liberal push to oust the president, complicating leadership efforts to keep a lid on the campaign.

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GOP leaders know impeachment divides Democrats and see a clear political advantage in promoting the debate. The Republicans’ campaign arm is steadily blasting emails linking moderate Democrats in swing districts to the impeachment effort. And a growing number of GOP lawmakers are all but daring Democratic leaders to launch the process while it remains unpopular with voters — a strategy not overlooked by top Democrats vowing to resist the bait.

“They would love to drive this to an impeachment because they think it will be their political salvation,” Rep. Jamie Raskin Jamin (Jamie) Ben RaskinOn The Money: House panel pulls Powell into partisan battles | New York considers hiking taxes on the rich | Treasury: Trump's payroll tax deferral won't hurt Social Security House panel pulls Powell into partisan battles over pandemic Shakespeare Theatre Company goes virtual for 'Will on the Hill...or Won't They?' MORE (D-Md.), a Judiciary Committee member, said of Republicans.

“If we get there, we will get there on our own time and our own way. We're not going to be baited into it,” Raskin said.

Those dynamics appeared front and center last week during the partisan fight over Attorney General William Barr Bill BarrHarris faces pivotal moment with Supreme Court battle Hillicon Valley: DOJ proposes tech liability shield reform to Congress | Treasury sanctions individuals, groups tied to Russian malign influence activities | House Republican introduces bill to set standards for self-driving cars McCarthy threatens motion to oust Pelosi if she moves forward with impeachment MORE’s scheduled testimony before the House Judiciary Committee. Behind Chairman Jerrold Nadler Jerrold (Jerry) Lewis NadlerDemocrats shoot down talk of expanding Supreme Court Schumer: 'Nothing is off the table' if GOP moves forward with Ginsburg replacement Top Democrats call for DOJ watchdog to probe Barr over possible 2020 election influence MORE (D-N.Y.), Democrats had demanded that Barr submit to interviews by staff attorneys from both parties. Barr declined, refusing to appear at all, and Republicans quickly accused Democrats of trying to employ the legal powers provided by impeachment before they’ve formally launched the process.

Rep. Doug Collins Douglas (Doug) Allen CollinsTrump, Biden running neck-and-neck in Georgia: poll Trump, Biden tied in Georgia: poll Loeffler paints herself as 'more conservative than Attila the Hun' in new campaign ad MORE (Ga.), the top Republican on the Judiciary panel, seemed to challenge Nadler to take that step, saying in a Fox News interview that Democrats “don't have the fortitude to actually bring an impeachment inquiry.”

“The procedural and legal perks of impeachment do not apply, and the chairman can’t have it both ways. He can’t try to pacify his liberal base by pretending to do impeachment without actually taking the plunge,” Collins wrote in prepared remarks for Thursday’s hearing. “The reality of our chamber and this distinguished committee is that when it comes to impeachment, you’re either in, Mr. Chairman, or you’re out, and, right now, you’re out.”

Collins was hardly the only Republican to invoke impeachment while attacking House Democrats’ treatment of Barr.

“Chairman Nadler decided to change the rules to satisfy the very obvious desire to impeach President Trump,” House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy Kevin Owen McCarthyMcCarthy threatens motion to oust Pelosi if she moves forward with impeachment Kate Schroder in Ohio among Democratic challengers squelching GOP hopes for the House McCarthy's Democratic challenger to launch first TV ad highlighting Air Force service as single mother MORE (R-Calif.) told reporters at a press conference on Thursday. “Nadler has been wanting to impeach the day after the election. He can't have the facts to prove why he should, but he will not stop.”

“I view this as nothing more than a trial run for impeachment,” echoed Rep. Andy Biggs (R-Ariz.).

Democrats face a balancing act as they seek to unite their diverse caucus in response to the release of special counsel Robert Mueller Robert (Bob) MuellerCNN's Toobin warns McCabe is in 'perilous condition' with emboldened Trump CNN anchor rips Trump over Stone while evoking Clinton-Lynch tarmac meeting The Hill's 12:30 Report: New Hampshire fallout MORE’s report on Russia's interference in the 2016 elections.

Pelosi, joined by an overwhelming majority of Democrats, favors an aggressive investigative approach that seeks to gather more evidence of potential administrative wrongdoing — and swing more voters against the president — before they consider impeaching him.

A recent Quinnipiac University Poll hints at the logic in that design, finding that 66 percent of voters currently oppose impeachment, versus just 29 percent who support it.

“Obviously, impeachment is the ultimate [option],” said House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer Steny Hamilton HoyerOVERNIGHT ENERGY: California seeks to sell only electric cars by 2035 | EPA threatens to close New York City office after Trump threats to 'anarchist' cities | House energy package sparks criticism from left and right House energy package sparks criticism from left and right Hoyer: House should vote on COVID-19 aid — with or without a bipartisan deal MORE (D-Md.). “But we need to pursue this in a very, very vigorous way. Because this goes to the very essence of the relationship between two co-equal branches of government.”

Yet the Democrats' tough talk has done little to prompt new cooperation from the administration. Trump has vowed to fight “all the subpoenas.” And Barr’s refusal to testify last week — combined with the recent airing of Mueller’s evident grievances with Barr's assessment of the investigators' findings — have left Democrats inching ever closer to impeachment proceedings.

“If the Trump administration wants impeachment, they're doing a good job of pushing the Democrats there,” Rep. Ted Lieu Ted W. LieuThe spin on Woodward's tapes reveals the hypocrisy of Democrats Larry Kudlow defends response to coronavirus: Trump 'led wisely' Lieu on Trump 'playing it down' on coronavirus: 'This is reckless homicide' MORE (D-Calif.), a Judiciary Committee member, told CNN on Thursday. “We want to first gather facts to decide if we should impeach. If we can't gather facts, then we're going to launch an Article III impeachment.”

Rep. Al Green Alexander (Al) N. GreenThe Memo: Trump's race tactics fall flat Trump administration ending support for 7 Texas testing sites as coronavirus cases spike The Hill's Coronavirus Report: Miami mayor worries about suicide and domestic violence rise; Trump-governor debate intensifies MORE (D-Texas) is threatening again to force another House floor vote on impeachment. And Rep. Rashida Tlaib Rashida Harbi TlaibTrump attacks Omar for criticizing US: 'How did you do where you came from?' George Conway: 'Trump is like a practical joke that got out of hand' Pelosi endorses Kennedy in Massachusetts Senate primary challenge MORE (D-Mich.), a progressive freshman who has proposed legislation requiring the Judiciary Committee to begin examining potentially impeachable offenses, said interest in her resolution has spiked in the last week.

“For me, the Mueller letter to Barr, that is confirmation that Attorney General Barr works for Trump, not the country,” she said. “This is more and more looking like a cover-up, right?”

Putting even more pressure on Democratic leaders, some presidential primary contenders are advocating for impeachment, particularly if the administration continues to refuse requests for information from the investigative committees. Joe Biden Joe BidenBiden on Trump's refusal to commit to peaceful transfer of power: 'What country are we in?' Democratic groups using Bloomberg money to launch M in Spanish language ads in Florida Harris faces pivotal moment with Supreme Court battle MORE, the former vice president and now front-runner in the primary race, joined that chorus last week.

Few Democrats on Capitol Hill are sounding that alarm, however, weighing lesser legal options to gather documents and compel witness testimony, including Nadler’s recent threat to hold Barr in contempt of Congress.

“There's a process that's involved here,” Pelosi said Thursday. “The committee will act upon how we will proceed.”

Even Democrats who already support impeachment say the investigations effectively serve a similar purpose.

“In terms of the immediate next steps, I think functionally all the same things I would want to see in an impeachment inquiry are already under way,” said Rep. Jared Huffman Jared William HuffmanOVERNIGHT ENERGY: House Democrats tee up vote on climate-focused energy bill next week | EPA reappoints controversial leader to air quality advisory committee | Coronavirus creates delay in Pentagon research for alternative to 'forever chemicals' COVID-19 complicates California's record-setting wildfire season Congress should investigate OAS actions in Bolivia MORE (D-Calif.). “Speaker Pelosi is making it clear that she's not pulling any punches on President Trump. She's not giving him any passes. We're going to hold him accountable.”

Whatever route the Democrats choose, they’re insistent that the Republicans’ pressure campaign will play no role whatsoever.

“If they want to impeach the president, they should go ahead and introduce the articles,” Raskin said. “As for us, we'll take our actions on our own schedule and on our own volition.”