Justin Amash, the only congressional Republican who has publicly called to impeach President Donald Trump, says he is leaving the GOP, a move that drew a swift rebuke from the president Thursday.
“Today, I am declaring my independence and leaving the Republican Party. No matter your circumstance, I’m asking you to join me in rejecting the partisan loyalties and rhetoric that divide and dehumanize us,” the five-term Michigan lawmaker wrote in an opinion piece published in the Washington Post on Thursday morning.
Trump responded hours later on Twitter: “Great news for the Republican Party as one of the dumbest & most disloyal men in Congress is “quitting” the Party. No Collusion, No Obstruction! Knew he couldn’t get the nomination to run again in the Great State of Michigan. Already being challenged for his seat. A total loser!”
Amash, a 39-year-old libertarian elected in 2010, faced two primary challenges and Trump’s lash on Twitter after saying the president committed impeachable offenses May 18. He also said Attorney General William Barr had “deliberately misrepresented” special counsel Robert Mueller’s report into Russian meddling in the 2016 election and allegations the president sought to obstruct the investigation.
Trump has called Amash “a total lightweight” and “a loser who sadly plays right into our opponents hands!” on social media.
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Amash encouraged others to follow his lead in becoming an independent. “Modern politics is trapped in a partisan death spiral, but there is an escape,” he wrote. He had not previously ruled out a run as an independent.
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Justin Amash, the only congressional Republican who has publicly called to impeach Trump, says he is leaving the GOP https://t.co/HMR06OILwR
— POLITICO (@politico) July 4, 2019
When I said "constant thunderclaps of insecurity," this is what I meant. https://t.co/zB5MxmqXcH
— Tom Nichols (@RadioFreeTom) July 4, 2019
Whenever I see one of these I am again reminded of how funny it is that some people actually think Trump has some sort of genius for insult, as though saying the same mean thing about everyone you don't like is, like, a challenge https://t.co/OvzeVeB59Y
— Andrew Egger (@EggerDC) July 4, 2019
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