House Speaker rejects Rosenstein impeachment effort
WASHINGTON/BOSTON, (Reuters) U.S. House Speaker Paul Ryan yesterday rejected a move by fellow Republicans to impeach Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, the No. 2 Justice Department official, who oversees the federal probe of Russia’s role in the 2016 presidential election.
“Do I support impeachment of Rod Rosenstein? No, I do not,” said Ryan, whose stance could make it easier for other Republican members to oppose the measure.
A group of Republicans in the House of Representatives on Wednesday introduced articles of impeachment to remove Rosenstein, escalating a fight over Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation into whether Republican President Donald Trump’s campaign worked with Moscow to sway the 2016 presidential election.
Representatives Jim Jordan and Mark Meadows, who belong to the conservative House Freedom Caucus, joined nine other lawmakers in accusing Rosenstein of hiding investigative information from Congress, failure to comply with congressional subpoenas and other alleged misconduct. No immediate action was expected on the move. The House was scheduled to leave on Thursday for a recess that extends until September. A House Republican aide said the two lawmakers were not trying to force quick action on the measure.
Asked about the impeachment push, White House spokesman Hogan Gidley told reporters flying aboard Air Force One with Trump to Washington from St. Louis: “The president has been clear he wants DOJ to be transparent and cooperate with Congress.”