House Republican floats Rosenstein impeachment over demands for DOJ documents
The House could "certainly" move to impeach embattled Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein if the Justice Department doesn't turn over Trump-Russia documents demanded by GOP chairmen by next week, one top Republican told reporters Wednesday, as the House readied a vote on a resolution demanding the documents.
The House Rules Committee, which sets the terms of floor debate in the chamber, approved along party lines on Wednesday the nonbinding resolution demanding "full" Justice Department compliance with a number of subpoenas for documents and information related to the Clinton email and Trump-Russia investigation, including allegations surrounding government surveillance of former Trump campaign adviser Carter Page, from House Intelligence Committee Chairman Devin Nunes and House Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte.
The resolution would put the full GOP-led House on the record for the first time demanding DOJ compliance with its document demands, putting more pressure on Rosenstein, who is supervising special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into alleged links between the Trump campaign and Russia. The House could take up the resolution as early as Thursday.
“The speaker has indicated that we will have a vote on the House floor tomorrow on that resolution,” Rep. Mark Meadows, R-N.C., told reporters Wednesday. “If they're not here by July 6 then certainly contempt and impeachment [of Rosenstein] will be in order.”
Democrats have accused Republicans of working to discredit the Justice Department, and, by extension, the Mueller investigation into alleged links between the Trump presidential campaign and Russia.
President Trump expressed frustration with the pace of document production earlier this week, and appear to tie it to the Mueller investigation.
Rosenstein and FBI Director Chris Wray are scheduled to testify before the House Judiciary Committee on Thursday.
