This past week, Michigan Congressman Justin Amash announced that he was leaving the Republican Party, which he’s now followed up with a rare appearance on CNN’s State of the Union with Jake Tapper. The host asked Amash about the criticism he’s faced since abandoning the GOP, including from President Donald Trump, who on Twitter called him a “loser” and claimed the Republican Party is better off without him. Amash slammed the president in response, dismissing the show he’s put on as just that — an egotistical show that masks some of the real issues that continue to plague D.C.
Amash told Tapper:
‘I mean, I don’t have a response to it — it’s what the president does, it’s what he says, and I think most people understand that’s not how people are supposed to talk to each other, about each other… He thinks that people owe loyalty to him, but people are elected to Congress with an oath to support and defend the Constitution, not an oath to support and defend one person, the president who happens to be from your own party.’
Watch:
“He thinks that people owe loyalty to him, but people are elected to Congress with an oath to support and defend the Constitution.” – Rep. Justin Amash responds to President Trump calling him a “loser” for leaving the GOP #CNNSOTU https://t.co/cnryboY2Yp pic.twitter.com/M9k8uXFFmk
— State of the Union (@CNNSotu) July 7, 2019
Amash added that he agrees with the suggestion that Republican colleagues fear the kind of personal attack that Trump lobbed at him because it could resonate with some of their constituents and spell disaster for their political career. After first making waves by becoming the first Congressional Republican to call for Trump’s impeachment following the emergence of evidence of obstruction of justice, he claimed that some of his then-GOP colleagues agreed with his stance but just didn’t want to say so publicly. He maintained during his time on CNN that he has Republican colleagues who have also “tried to make changes from within,” but “it hasn’t worked” for anyone. Even “the committees almost have no power” in the present political layout, Amash shared, noting that nothing ever came out of committees unless former House Speaker Paul Ryan approved it.
Tapper had asked him about possible concern that leaving the GOP would have negative effects on his power in D.C., since he might get kicked off the House Oversight Committee since he’s no longer a part of the Republican conference. Amash seemed confident the move would not affect his power, adding that he’s ready to try something new in his efforts to reshape D.C.
The criticism he’s faced has stretched pretty much across the board, from Trump on down to House GOP leaders like House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.). Amash hasn’t made decisions in line with this criticism though, instead retorting at one point that he doesn’t even think McCarthy read the final report from Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s probe, in which evidence of that obstruction of justice was presented.
Amash is still conservative in many of his views, but in calling for Trump’s impeachment in the wake of that report he joined a growing groups of dozens and dozens of Congressional Democrats who have done the same. House leaders like Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) have consistently resisted the push to press forward with impeachment, though.
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