REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque
President Donald Trump may have committed obstruction of justice, an impeachable offense, members of Congress said, following allegations that Trump asked then-FBI Director James Comey to drop an investigation into former national security adviser Michael Flynn.
In an appearance on CNN, Sen. Angus King, a Maine independent, said Congress is “sadly” on a track toward impeachment. “I say it with sadness and reluctance,” King said, when asked whether Trump could be impeached.
Democratic members of Congress described Trump’s alleged actions as impeachable offenses. “Asking FBI to drop an investigation is obstruction of justice. Obstruction of justice is an impeachable offense,” Rep. Ted Deutch, the ranking Democrat on the House Ethics Committee, tweeted.
Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, a Rhode Island Democrat, tweeted a picture of the U.S. code pertaining to obstruction of justice. “Yesterday, secrets to the Russians. Today, obstruction of justice? When does this end?” Whitehouse tweeted.
Republicans were quiet in the immediate aftermath of the news. ".@GOPoversight is going to get the Comey memo, if it exists," Rep. Jason Chaffetz, chair of the House Oversight Committee tweeted. "I need to see it sooner rather than later. I have my subpoena pen ready."
Senate Judiciary chair Sen. Chuck Grassley told Fox News’ Chad Pergram that Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein had testified that the White House did not interfere with a probe into the Trump administration’s ties with Russia. Grassley told Pergram that if Comey’s memos were accurate, there was a “conflict” with Rosenstein's testimony.
Rep. Darrell Issa, a California Republican, reportedly gave Politico reporter Rachel Bade the middle finger and walked away when she tried to ask him about Trump’s alleged requests.