Decision 2020

First GOP lawmaker in Congress calls for impeachment of Trump

The political fallout from the Mueller Report received an unexpected jolt on Saturday from a Republican member of the U.S. House, as Rep. Justin Amash (R-MI), a more libertarian lawmaker who has often been a critic of the President, became the first GOP member of Congress to call for the President's impeachment, saying it's clear Mr. "Trump has engaged in impeachable conduct."

In a series of posts on Twitter, Amash - a member of the House Freedom Caucus - accused Attorney General William Barr of having "deliberately misrepresented" the findings and evidence of the Mueller Report.

"In comparing Barr’s principal conclusions, congressional testimony, and other statements to Mueller’s report, it is clear that Barr intended to mislead the public about Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s analysis and findings," Amash said, making the calls for impeachment now bipartisan.

"Mueller’s 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," Amash said, echoing an argument heard from many Democrats.

Democrats welcomed Amash's declaration.

"This is a very consequential statement," said Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-VA). "Thank you Justin Amash for putting country ahead of party."

"We can now have bipartisan impeachment proceedings. Thank you, @justinamash," said Rep. Seth Moulton (D-MA).

Amash chided members of both parties for reacting to the Mueller Report simply because of who was targeted, basically predicting that if a Democrat had been in the White House, the reactions would have been completely opposite

"We’ve witnessed members of Congress from both parties shift their views 180 degrees — on the importance of character, on the principles of obstruction of justice — depending on whether they’re discussing Bill Clinton or Donald Trump," Amash added on Twitter.

There was no evidence that Amash's statement was going to open the flood gates in Congress against the President - but it will give Democrats the ability to say there are bipartisan concerns about President Trump.

“Call him the lone member of the Republican Integrity Caucus,” said Congressional scholar Norm Ornstein, who has been a frequent critic of the President.

Fellow Republican Congressman, Rep. Ken Buck (R-CO) took a mild jab at Amash, writing on Twitter that his nickname for Amash was right, using the hashtag, "Often Wrong Never In Doubt."