Michigan GOP Rep. Justin Amash, a critic of Donald Trump since he took office, concludes that the president committed "impeachable conduct" and accuses Attorney General William Barr of intentionally misleading Americans.
The fifth-term congressman from the Granbd Rapids area is the first Republican lawmaker to declare that Trump committed impeachable offenses, Politico reports:
Amash, whose libertarian views often put him at odds with Trump and his fellow Republicans, posted a series of tweets Saturday afternoon outlining positions that even some Democrats have been unwilling to embrace — an extraordinary development that comes as Democratic leaders face increasing pressure from progressives to launch impeachment proceedings.
“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,” Amash wrote, arguing that lawmakers have become too afraid of using impeachment to deter presidential misconduct.
“Impeachment, which is a special form of indictment, does not even require probable cause that a crime (e.g., obstruction of justice) has been committed; it simply requires a finding that an official has engaged in careless, abusive, corrup, or otherwise dishonorable conduct,” Amash wrote.
► Full remarks: Why I Believe President Trump 'Violates the Public Trust'