Republicans are worried, even panicked, about their scandal-plagued president and what it could mean for the GOP agenda.
Anxiety and dismay spread throughout the ranks of Capitol Hill Republicans on Wednesday as lawmakers reckoned with the fallout from the James Comey scandal and the damage it could cause to President Donald Trump and their own agenda.
Republicans quickly split into factions — from defending Trump and blaming the media on one end, to calling for a special prosecutor and even raising the specter of impeachment on the other — as they responded to news that Trump allegedly pressured the former FBI director to drop the agency’s investigation of Trump’s ex-national security adviser Michael Flynn. Many others demanded that Comey testify and turn over private memos documenting his conversations with Trump.
Privately, Republicans are plainly distressed and even panicked over what a prolonged scandal could mean for their agenda and grip on power. Some wonder whether Trump will still be president next year, while others are frustrated that the White House hasn’t done more damage control. Chatter has begun about what a President Mike Pence might look like.
And many lawmakers don’t want to defend Trump publicly because they don’t know what damaging revelation will come next.
“Things are tough now, we all know that,” Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) said of the mood on Capitol Hill. “What do you think this is, a joy ride?”
Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) and party leaders appear mostly to be playing for time and trying to provide political cover for their rank and file. Ryan said he would reserve judgment until the facts are out, but that Congress should seek out those facts. He’s backing House Oversight Chairman Jason Chaffetz’s effort to have Comey appear before his panel, one of at least three committees seeking to hear directly from the ex-FBI director. Chaffetz called a May 24 hearing with Comey, although the Oversight chairman hasn’t yet connected with him.
More than a half-dozen Republicans — including Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Rep. Adam Kinzinger of Illinois — are joining Democrats in calling for the appointment of a special prosecutor or independent commission to investigate the Trump-Comey interactions, as well as the alleged ties between the Trump campaign and Russian officials. Another bloc is open to such a move if more damaging information emerges. Murkowski said Wednesday that “it may be that we need to look” to the independent avenues to investigate the matter.
Trump backers — a small but vocal group — deny the president did anything wrong. They blame the media, the “deep state” and Democrats for the president’s problems.
And least three House Republicans — Reps. Justin Amash of Michigan, Carlos Curbelo of Florida and Walter Jones of North Carolina — have warned that the allegations against Trump, if true, could constitute obstruction of justice and an impeachable offense. Sen. John McCain compared Trump’s situation to Watergate.
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Chatter among some congressional Republicans has begun about what a President Mike Pence might look like https://t.co/kYX2xCrNLV pic.twitter.com/8VNqRsGojt
— POLITICO (@politico) May 17, 2017
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