Lindsey Graham: Justin Amash’s Trump Impeachment Call Had ‘Zero’ Impact on GOP

Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Lindsey Graham (R-SC) said Tuesday that Rep. Justin Amash’s (R-MI) call for impeaching President Donald Trump had “zero” impact on the Republican Party.

Amash, a libertarian-leaning Republican, sparked controversy recently when he claimed that special counsel Robert Mueller’s report on Russian collusion between the 2016 Donald Trump presidential campaign and the Russian government had shown “impeachable” offenses and that the president had obstructed justice.

Graham said that Amash’s call for impeaching Trump had “zero” impact on the GOP.

“I don’t think anybody’s going to follow his lead. I don’t think there’s going to be a stampede based on what Amash says..when five Democrats voted with us to impeach Clinton they were not exactly hailed as heroes,” the South Carolina senator said.

Amash drew backlash from fellow Republicans stretching from House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA), House Republican Whip Steve Scalise (R-SC), Republican National Committee (RNC) chairwoman Ronna McDaniel, and the Michigan GOP chair condemned Amash’s comments.

The House Freedom Caucus, of which Amash serves as a founding member, formally denounced the Michigan congressman on Monday.

“It was every single person who totally disagrees with what he says,” said Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH), a former chairman of the Freedom Caucus. “What concerns me is Justin was viewed as a leader, right, on protecting privacy rights first to First Amendment rights.”

House Freedom Caucus Chairman Mark Meadows (R-NC) noted that Amash’s comments would make it hard for him to get re-elected.

“Anytime that you come out against the president of your own party makes it very difficult to support in any primary challenge,” Meadows said.

Amash’s controversial remarks earned him a primary challenger from Michigan State Rep. Jim Lower (R-MI).

Congressman Justin Amash tweets yesterday calling for President Trump’s impeachment show how out of touch he is with the truth and how out of touch he is with people he represents,” Lower said.