A Republican congressman from Michigan on Saturday became the first member of President Donald Trump’s party on Capitol Hill to accuse him of engaging in “impeachable conduct” stemming from special counsel Robert Mueller’s lengthy investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election.
But Rep. Justin Amash stopped short of calling on Congress to begin impeachment proceedings against Trump, which many Democrats have been agitating for.
Often a lone GOP voice in Congress, Amash sent a series of tweets Saturday faulting both Trump and Attorney General William Barr over Mueller’s report. Mueller wrapped the investigation and submitted his report to Barr in late March. Barr then released a summary of Mueller’s “principal conclusions” and released a redacted version of the report in April.
Mueller found no criminal conspiracy between Trump’s presidential campaign and Russia, but left open the question of whether Trump acted in ways that were meant to obstruct the investigation. Barr later said there was insufficient evidence to bring obstruction charges against Trump.
Trump, who has compared the investigation to a “witch hunt,” claimed complete exoneration from Mueller’s report.
Amash said he reached four conclusions after carefully reading the redacted version of Mueller’s report, including that “President Trump has engaged in impeachable conduct.”
“Contrary to Barr’s portrayal, Mueller’s report reveals that President Trump engaged in specific actions and a pattern of behavior that meet the threshold for impeachment,” the congressman tweeted. He said the report “identifies multiple examples of conduct satisfying all the elements of obstruction of justice, and undoubtedly any person who is not the president of the United States would be indicted based on such evidence.”
The Justice Department, which Barr leads, operates under guidelines that discourage the indictment of a sitting president.
A representative for Amash did not immediately respond to an email request to speak with the congressman.
Trump and Republican lawmakers generally view the matter as “case closed,” as Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., recently declared on the floor of the Senate.
On the other hand, Democrats who control the House are locked in a bitter standoff with the White House as it ignores lawmakers’ requests for the more complete version of Mueller’s report, the underlying evidence and witness testimony. Some Democrats wants the House to open impeachment hearings, but Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., has resisted, saying impeachment must be bipartisan.
Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., a freshman who opened her term by profanely calling for Trump to be impeached, applauded Amash.
“You are putting country first, and that is to be commended,” Tlaib tweeted. Tlaib is seeking support for a resolution she’s circulating calling on the House to start impeachment proceedings.
(AP)
16 Responses
Coincidentally, Amash is Palestinian and votes anti-Israel. But that probably has nothing to do with his views about Trump (sure).
What else to expect from an Arab?
He achieved his goal, instantaneously, he has become a hero to the liberals as did
McCain.
He tries to portray himself as a level headed republican. In that case he should have criticized the origins of the investigation to begin with.
I doubt many people would have tge strength of character as did Trump to withstand the onslaught in the media with a fake accusation and no obstruct the investigation even more.
Clearly Trump had tweeted that firing Commy will increase the length of the investigation not terminate or obstruct it.
Amash is a Muslim. He is a known radical supported. A Jewish site should not report his garbage and lies.
If you want to see what “useful idiot” looks like, scroll to the top of this article!
Who wrote that part of the Muller report? R. Muller or A. Weissman?
Were they honest and impartial in their conduct of the investigation?
Barr conclusion is the bottom line that even R. Muller didn’t contest!
There are serious issues with Libertarian ideology, one of them being extend presidential/executive power…
Be on the same side with Rashida Tlaib on this issue speaks for itself!
From his profile in Wikipedia:
Amash was born in Michigan to a Palestinian Christian father and a Syrian Christian mother who had immigrated to the United States. He grew up in Kentwood, Michigan, and was the valedictorian of his high school class. He studied economics at the University of Michigan and then earned a law degree from the University of Michigan Law School, then worked as an attorney at his father’s business before beginning his political career. He and his brothers are co-owners of their family business, Dynamic Source International which includes Amash Imports, Inc. (founded in 1956 and using the trade name of Amash Brothers Distributing and Michigan Industrial Tools) and others.[6][7] Their family businesses are heavily invested in China which include Trekton and other products.[
This little RINO boy from Michigan got his day of fame. Perhaps he have lunch or dinner with Omar Ilhan or A.O.C.
Amash is a voice of true moral clarity! He is a true Conservative who actual cares about rule of law and does not excuse away every abhorent act due to political affiliations. He is not a Muslim. He is a Christian Arab. He is not anti-Israel. He is a libertarian akin to Sen. Rand Paul. America needs more politicians of principle like Justin Amash. And like he said read the actual report before jumping to partisan conclusions.
A RINO is one who:
Creates largest budget deficits ever,
Ignores the constitution and appropriates funds without congressional approval,
Appeals to courts and judicial activism to overturn healthcare laws passed by an elected Congress,
Places consumption tax on American citizens with tariffs on imports,
Undermines free trade,
Undermines the rule of law with countless attempts to intefere in ongoing investigations,
Cozies up with dictators of the world all falls in love with them.
One who opposes such policies is a true Republican and a true Conservative. Justin Amash is not a RINO he from the dying breed of true Conservatives.
Is’t it coincidence that lefty lunatic Democrat crazykanoiy found only “Republican” acceptable who happened to be never-Trumper.
crazykanoiy, please tell us what are your “true Conservative” values are?
Moshe In Golus – Please stop typing before reading. True Conservative values are clearly delineated above. Trumpism is crass populism it is not Conservatism. True conservatives oppose Trump.
Moshe In Golus – You outlook appears to be rather Trumpian Populist as opposed to Consevative. It is long on the name calling and short on the policies. Long on the labeling and short on the details which fits squarely with Trump, Hannity and their ilk.
True intelligent Consevativsm can be found in the pages of National Review and in the writings of George Will, Bret Stephens and Bill Kristol. It would be worth your while to spend some time reading about what true Conservatives really stand for instead of just enganging in silly name calling.
I would take out the word kanoiy leave the first part in your name.. for someone that has all the liberal talking points down pat let’s take up your points 1) no one can stop these deficits until we implode especially with a Democrat controlled house our only hope is to get a crushing conservative majority 2)even you’ll agree that it’s a crisis at the southern border and the demorats are holding up funding 3) excuse me but liberal judges have destroyed the moral fabric of this country… have helped Obama with his mental liberal ideas 4) tariffs have worked to improve our trade with Canada and Mexico… eventually China will come around even cryin chuck agrees with that policy 5) undermines free trade??? Isn’t that what trump’s trying to accomplish more reasonable terms for usa? 6) obstruction?? Maybe just stick with collusion 7) trying to woo the dictators … as far as I know he hasn’t budged an inch with Putin Venezuela or n Korea 8) amash is a wicked backstabber… and so are you
Frumsanity – when you control both chambers of government for first two years of your term you can cut the deficit. That is why a true Conservative like Bob Corker opposed the deficit busting tax plan. Trump has done nothing to control the deficit. He is not a conservative.
A crisis at southern border existed before Dems took control of the house. You cant just ignore congress when you dont agree with them. A true conservative knows that the constitution is greater than one polocy and that is why 12 truly conservative GOP senators voted against Trumps emergency funding decleration. Trump is not a conservative.
Judicial activism is a liberal tactic. When Trump uses it to attempt to overturn Obamacare he is not a true Conservative but an immoral opportunist.
Consumption taxes and attacks on private enterprise such as Amazon, NFL, General Motors and attempting to bully them into making decisions is the opposite of conservative free enterprise. Trump is not a conservative.
Obstruction and undermining the rule is not conservative and that is why true conservatives like Mitt Romney, Justin Amash and Larry Hogan have called him out on it.
Publicly siding with Putin over US intelligence. Saying that you are in love with the North Korean dictator is not conservative it is the opposite of what true Conservatives like Regan stood for. Trump is not a conservative.
Amash, Romney, Corker, Flake, Kasich are the real conservatives of our era. The only person that they are backstabbing is the fraud in the whitehouse. True conservatism will rise again.
crazykanoiy is a lefty Democrat clown who took it upon himself to define for the rest of us the meaning of “True intelligent Conservatism “. What a joke (not a funny one).
R’Moshe – Try to make a logical point without resorting to name calling.
If you think that Justin Amash who is a member of the Freedom Caucus and Liberty Caucus and receives a 90% Liberty Score from the Conservative Review and an 87% lifetime rating from the American Conservative Union is a “RINO” or “crazy liberal” you obviously havent the faintist idea about what true Conservatism is all about.