Every media outlet that exists is reporting Saturday on a lengthy thread by Republican Rep. Justin Amash and his call for the impeachment of President Trump, making him the first Republican to do so. Rep. Rashida “We’re gonna impeach that motherf**ker!” Tlaib invited Amash to stop by her office and see her etchings.
.@justinamash come find me in 1628 Longworth. I’ve got an impeachment investigation resolution you’re going to want to cosponsor. https://t.co/KabQTDn1Zq
— Rashida Tlaib (@RashidaTlaib) May 18, 2019
Dan Rather has also become an Amash fan, and when both Tlaib and Rather back something a Republican has done, we can’t help but become skeptical.
Tweets from @justinamash are rightly making news. This is what principle over party looks like, We can disagree over policy, but we shouldn't disagree over the rule of law. The call for impeachment, at least with this one voice so far, has taken on a hint of bipartisanship. https://t.co/144WQ757VQ
— Dan Rather (@DanRather) May 18, 2019
NeverTrumper Bill Kristol’s pretty impressed too:
I say this as someone at odds with Amash on lots of issues important to me (and I think to him): All honor to Justin Amash, who has done so much today to set an example of constitutional responsibility and mature, civic discourse.
— Bill Kristol (@BillKristol) May 18, 2019
Anyway, here’s Amash’s thread, and then we’ll get to some reactions that aren’t so fawning.
Here are my principal conclusions:
1. Attorney General Barr has deliberately misrepresented Mueller’s report.
2. President Trump has engaged in impeachable conduct.
3. Partisanship has eroded our system of checks and balances.
4. Few members of Congress have read the report.— Justin Amash (@justinamash) May 18, 2019
I offer these conclusions only after having read Mueller’s redacted report carefully and completely, having read or watched pertinent statements and testimony, and having discussed this matter with my staff, who thoroughly reviewed materials and provided me with further analysis.
— Justin Amash (@justinamash) May 18, 2019
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.
— Justin Amash (@justinamash) May 18, 2019
Barr’s misrepresentations are significant but often subtle, frequently taking the form of sleight-of-hand qualifications or logical fallacies, which he hopes people will not notice.
— Justin Amash (@justinamash) May 18, 2019
Under our Constitution, the president “shall be removed from Office on Impeachment for, and Conviction of, Treason, Bribery, or other high Crimes and Misdemeanors.” While “high Crimes and Misdemeanors” is not defined, the context implies conduct that violates the public trust.
— Justin Amash (@justinamash) May 18, 2019
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.
— Justin Amash (@justinamash) May 18, 2019
In fact, 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.
— Justin Amash (@justinamash) May 18, 2019
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, corrupt, or otherwise dishonorable conduct.
— Justin Amash (@justinamash) May 18, 2019
While impeachment should be undertaken only in extraordinary circumstances, the risk we face in an environment of extreme partisanship is not that Congress will employ it as a remedy too often but rather that Congress will employ it so rarely that it cannot deter misconduct.
— Justin Amash (@justinamash) May 18, 2019
Our system of checks and balances relies on each branch’s jealously guarding its powers and upholding its duties under our Constitution. When loyalty to a political party or to an individual trumps loyalty to the Constitution, the Rule of Law—the foundation of liberty—crumbles.
— Justin Amash (@justinamash) May 18, 2019
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.
— Justin Amash (@justinamash) May 18, 2019
Few members of Congress even read Mueller’s report; their minds were made up based on partisan affiliation—and it showed, with representatives and senators from both parties issuing definitive statements on the 448-page report’s conclusions within just hours of its release.
— Justin Amash (@justinamash) May 18, 2019
America’s institutions depend on officials to uphold both the rules and spirit of our constitutional system even when to do so is personally inconvenient or yields a politically unfavorable outcome. Our Constitution is brilliant and awesome; it deserves a government to match it.
— Justin Amash (@justinamash) May 18, 2019
We see where he’s going, but we sort of were thrown off the train when it took that hard pivot from “Russian collusion” to “obstruction of justice” so quickly.
Amash is getting a lot of love from liberals, of course, but there’s been some picking and choosing among the four points in his very first tweet.
Seriously LOL'ing at the strange new respect liberal activists have for Justin Amash.
— (((AG))) (@AG_Conservative) May 18, 2019
Putting aside my thoughts on Amash, here is the thread they are going nuts over.
1) Somewhat disagree, but irrelevant as full report is out.
2) Up to individual members, but a fair conclusion.
3) True
4) Truehttps://t.co/77BbAqmy5k— (((AG))) (@AG_Conservative) May 18, 2019
You notice they are labeling him "conservative Republican"
— arik (@arikarikari) May 18, 2019
Shocking a Libertarian thinks a President has gone too far, stop the presses
— SoxBHawksBoilers (@b_boilers) May 18, 2019
Bookings for Monday's morning news shows in 3, 2, …
After all, Jeff Flake can't be everywhere.
— Radio Worm (@RWcopter) May 18, 2019
Oh, he’ll get plenty of offers to appear on cable news.
Point 1:
-Amash does not provide *any* examples of Barr lying/misrepresenting
-Both CNN & The Washington Post have reported that Mueller said nothing in Barr's letter was inaccuratePoint 2:
-As the brilliant @Josh_Hammer notes, impeachment has a purposefully malleable standard https://t.co/g5aTFNsP9p— Ryan Saavedra (@RealSaavedra) May 18, 2019
Point 3 & 4:
-AccurateThings to remember:
-Amash tweeted this on a Saturday & the major anti-Trump accounts immediately promoted it; this will be covered on the Sunday news shows
-In a March CNN interview, Amash *refused* to rule out running for presidentThis was a PR stunt
— Ryan Saavedra (@RealSaavedra) May 18, 2019
When you are a "Republican" and these people are in your corner you know that you have issues pic.twitter.com/ETO2fOqYak
— Ryan Saavedra (@RealSaavedra) May 18, 2019
How many more tweets until we can expect you to cite an actual example of a lie or an impeachable offense? https://t.co/2dfSoqoroD
— Former Zygote Michael Knowles (@michaeljknowles) May 18, 2019
He can't say, because the mideeds are "significant, but often subtle." Good grief.
— Brian Rafferty (@RisksRewards) May 18, 2019
I get Amash's angle. He is all about weakening the executive and strengthening congress. But that is done by using the legislative process, not embracing the ridiculous notion that exercising legitimate article 2 authority can constitute obstruction.
— Harold Stickeehans (@StickeeNotes) May 18, 2019
His premise was false. The rest is moot. Plenty of other opportunities to make that point if in fact that is what he was doing.
— brownOUT (@JHWalz32) May 18, 2019
Yep.
— Harold Stickeehans (@StickeeNotes) May 18, 2019
Why doesn’t Amash file articles of impeachment?
— Joe Gabriel Simonson (@SaysSimonson) May 18, 2019
That could damage his presidential run when it goes wrong.
— Wesley Kushner (@WesleyKushner) May 18, 2019
Imagine the position that would put pelosi in
— Joe Gabriel Simonson (@SaysSimonson) May 18, 2019
Has Justin Amash been chatting it up with radical-left Intercept + Bulwark funder and impeachment advocate Pierre Omidyar? pic.twitter.com/eE4QFznW6b
— Jordan Schachtel (@JordanSchachtel) May 18, 2019
So he's pulling this stunt because he's getting donor money. It all makes sense now. Hope he doesn't let the door hit his ass on the way out. I'm sick of these people who take money to work against US interests.
— Brad Whitt (@BradWhitt2) May 18, 2019
I was thinking the same as I read his multiple tweets on his page another Romney and Flake
— ?? Carolina Mom ?? (@SCChick) May 18, 2019
Ouch … that’s twice he’s been compared to Jeff Flake.
Raise your hand if you are stunned that Rep. Justin Amash, who wants to run against President Donald trump for president and has fought him from day one, wants him impeached. https://t.co/Lhf8aAqKxv
— Carmine Sabia (@CarmineSabia) May 18, 2019
Wasn't the last we heard of Justin Amash he was railing against fluoridation?
— Kurt Schlichter (@KurtSchlichter) May 18, 2019
The only people who care what Justin Amash thinks who aren’t named “Justin Amash” have been super bored for the last couple years since weed got pretty much legalized.
— Kurt Schlichter (@KurtSchlichter) May 18, 2019
He told a significant minority of the American voting population exactly what they wanted to hear. Everyone rhapsodizing about his bravery can just get out of here with that crap.
— Richard DeCamp (@richdecamp) May 18, 2019
The Ahoy Brigade is the antithesis of the libertarianism and non-interventionism of Amash. That they are promoting his opinions shows how weak they are.
— Mark Harrison (@meh130) May 18, 2019
I had to Google him? pic.twitter.com/tbPbbBDqJO
— jennydee (@jenndee19) May 18, 2019
I have a very long track record of not paying attention to anything Justin Amash says or does.
That streak will continue.
— RBe (@RBPundit) May 18, 2019
True but based on the content of the report,he's not necessarily incorrect vis a vis obstruction.
— TFC3Tweets (@TFC3Tweets) May 18, 2019
Then someone needs to put the articles of impeachment on paper and pass it.
I’m tired of the game where they keep talking about it because they don’t have the balls to do it.
— RBe (@RBPundit) May 18, 2019
They’re never actually going to bring articles of impeachment to the floor for a vote. They just want to dangle this in front of their activists and donors to keep them angry, just like they did with Bush from 2007-2009.
— Sam Roberts (@RealSamRoberts) May 18, 2019
Generally appreciate Amash’s independence and bucking of partisanship but 1) and 2) here are just ridiculous. Barr didn’t misrepresent anything. And impeaching a president for “obstructing” an investigation predicated on a fraud would be preposterous https://t.co/HQF7x9UrsD
— Michael Tracey (@mtracey) May 18, 2019
Would not be surprised if Justin Amash ends up running for president in 2020 as a Libertarian. That’s what his mentor and chief political inspiration, Ron Paul, did in 1988
— Michael Tracey (@mtracey) May 18, 2019
He's running. https://t.co/X6F5vcxYTR
— Ordy's Amish School of Coding (@OrdyPackard) May 19, 2019
All of the Democrats who’ve actually filed articles of impeachment (Steve Cohen, Brad Sherman, Al Green) must be ticked off at all the publicity Amash is getting today.
Related:
Nancy Pelosi agrees that US is in ‘constitutional crisis’ but says Trump is currently ‘almost self-impeaching’ https://t.co/L3zsie0sTl
— Twitchy Team (@TwitchyTeam) May 9, 2019
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