A Republican lawmaker has acknowledged the “i-word”: impeachment.
GOP Rep. Justin Amash on Comey memo: if true, there are grounds for impeachment
Republican Rep. Justin Amash of Michigan gave reporters an affirmative “yes” Wednesday, when asked if the allegations from former FBI Director James Comey’s memo indicating that Trump urged the FBI to drop the investigation into former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn would be grounds for impeachment.
Known on Capitol Hill for going against the grain of his own party, Amash gave a reply that was a clear escalation from what have been more usual responses of “concern” from congressional Republicans.
The comment is the latest sign that the most recent spate of Russia-related fires in the White House, which were topped with the Comey memo published Tuesday night, appear to have triggered a changing tide on Capitol Hill.
The news that Trump might have leaked classified information to the Russian government, as the Washington Post reported Monday, was perhaps the first time in his scandal-soaked presidency that Republicans on the Hill did not immediately rise to Trump’s defense. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell lamented how the “drama” from the report would slow down the Republican conference’s packed legislative agenda, and House Speaker Paul Ryan repeated calls for a thorough investigation.
Even Rep. Jason Chaffetz, the Republican chair of the House Oversight Committee who has been reluctant to investigate anything related to Trump, said Tuesday night that he is prepared to subpoena the Comey memo for investigation. Sen. John McCain said the scandals are escalating to near-Watergate proportions.
Amash has been outspoken on the need to investigate Russia’s alleged ties to the Trump campaign and administration. In December he penned a letter with Republican Rep. Walter Jones of North Carolina, asking former President Barack Obama for a classified briefing on any evidence that Russia tampered with the 2016 elections. After Trump abruptly fired Comey last week, Jones and Amash again joined the ranks of Democrats calling for an independent investigation into Russia’s possible ties to the Trump administration.
Now Amash joins Democrats in acknowledging that impeachment is a possible course of action.
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