Page 4 - ARUBA TODAY

A4 U.S. NEWS
Friday 27 July 2018
Ryan opposes Rosenstein impeachment try, dooming it for now

By MARY CLARE JALONICK "Impeachment is a punish-
and CHAD DAY ment; it's not a remedy,"
Associated Press said House Oversight and
WASHINGTON (AP) — Government Reform Chair-
House Speaker Paul Ryan man Trey Gowdy, who has
spoke out against an effort led one of several House
by a small group of conser- GOP investigations into
vatives to impeach Dep- the department and has
uty Attorney General Rod complained of anti-Trump
Rosenstein on Thursday, bias. "If you are looking for
dooming the endeavor for documents, then you want
now and easing a months- compliance, and you want
long standoff between whatever moves you to-
House Republicans and the ward compliance."
Justice Department. The impeachment resolu-
Ryan said the tussle over tion came about two hours
document requests be- after Meadows, Gowdy,
tween House Republicans Goodlatte and other GOP
and Rosenstein, who over- lawmakers met with Justice
sees the federal Trump-Rus- Department officials about
sia investigation, doesn't the documents. The de-
rise to the level of "high partment has created new
crimes and misdemean- search systems, set up clas-
ors" that could warrant sified reading rooms and
impeachment under the tasked dozens of employ-
Constitution. ees to produce the hun-
"I don't think we should be dreds of thousands of doc-
cavalier with this process or uments that Republican
with this term," Ryan said. Speaker of the House Paul Ryan, R-Wis., meets with reporters as lawmakers prepare to break until lawmakers have requested
He also said he is encour- Sept. 4, on Capitol Hill in Washington, Thursday, July 26, 2018. over the past year.
aged by progress on the Associated Press Democrats on the House
document production. Judiciary, Oversight and
Ryan made the comments to pass the impeachment "We do not have full com- vestigation into Democrat Government Reform and
a day after the group of 11 resolution and said he pliance, and we have to Hillary Clinton's emails. intelligence committees
House Republicans sharply wouldn't use procedural get full compliance, but The five articles of impeach- called the impeachment
escalated the extended maneuvers to trigger an im- we have been making tre- ment would charge Rosen- effort a "panicked and
clash with the Justice De- mediate vote — something mendous progress to that stein with failing to produce dangerous attempt to un-
partment by filing articles he had threatened to do. point," he said of multiple information, though the dermine an ongoing crimi-
of impeachment against The House left Thursday af- document requests. department has provided nal investigation in an effort
Rosenstein, who oversees ternoon for a five-week re- Meanwhile, Attorney Gen- lawmakers with more than to protect President Trump
special counsel Robert cess. eral Jeff Sessions defend- 800,000 documents. The as the walls are closing in
Mueller's investigation. Instead, Meadows said he ed Rosenstein in a Boston resolution notes that Rosen- around him and his associ-
Their move late Wednes- had a commitment from speech, saying he has the stein was one of several de- ates."
day came after months of leaders to vote on holding "highest confidence" in partment officials who ap- So far, the special counsel
criticism aimed at the de- Rosenstein in contempt of his top deputy. Rosenstein proved what some Repub- has charged 32 people
partment — and the Russia Congress when the House has overseen the Russia in- licans say was improper and three companies. That
investigation in particular returns in September if cer- vestigation since last year, surveillance of Trump cam- includes four Trump cam-
— from President Donald tain documents are still out- when Sessions recused him- paign adviser Carter Page. paign advisers and 12 Rus-
Trump and his Republican standing. The agreement self following reports of his The impeachment resolu- sian intelligence officers.
allies in Congress. Trump came after discussions on own meeting with the Rus- tion also criticizes Rosen- Democratic Reps. Jerrold
has fumed about Mueller's the House floor with Judi- sian ambassador. stein for refusing to produce Nadler of New York, Elijah
probe and has repeatedly ciary Committee Chairman Asked in May about rum- a memo that outlines the Cummings of Maryland
called it a "witch hunt," a Robert Goodlatte, R-Va., blings that House Repub- scope of the investigation and Adam Schiff of Califor-
refrain echoed by some of and the No. 3 House GOP licans might move to im- and questions whether the nia said Rosenstein "stands
the lawmakers. leader, Rep. Steve Scalise peachment, Rosenstein investigation was started as one of the few restraints
Mueller is investigating Rus- of Louisiana. was defiant. on legitimate grounds. against the overreaches of
sian interference in the The contempt resolution "I think they should under- It is highly unusual, if not un- the president and his allies
2016 election and whether would first have to move stand by now, the Depart- precedented, for lawmak- in Congress."
Trump's campaign was in- through the Judiciary Com- ment of Justice is not going ers to demand documents In addition to Meadows
volved. mittee, according to Re- to be extorted," he said. that are part of an ongoing and Jordan, the Republi-
The impeachment effort publican aides. Meadows, Ohio Rep. Jim criminal investigation. can lawmakers who spon-
was led by North Carolina Meadows said the five- Jordan and the other Re- At a House hearing last sored the impeachment
Rep. Mark Meadows, the week delay would give publicans who introduced month, Rosenstein, along articles are Reps. Jody Hice
chairman of the conserva- the department "one last the resolution have criti- with FBI Director Christopher of Georgia, Jeff Duncan of
tive House Freedom Cau- chance" to deliver. He cized Rosenstein and Jus- Wray, faced angry Republi- South Carolina, Andy Biggs
cus who talks to Trump fre- didn't rule out trying for an tice Department officials cans who alleged bias at of Arizona, Louie Gohm-
quently and often defends impeachment vote in the as not being responsive the FBI and suggested the ert of Texas, Matt Gaetz
him to colleagues. future. enough as House com- department has conspired of Florida, Scott DesJarlais
As Ryan voiced his dis- "Now it's in Rod Rosenstein's mittees have demanded against Trump. Still, some of Tennessee, Paul Go-
approval, Meadows ac- court," Meadows said. documents related to the GOP lawmakers said they sar of Arizona, Bill Posey of
knowledged that he didn't Ryan's tone was far differ- Russia investigation's incep- would draw the line at im- Florida and Scott Perry of
currently have the votes ent. tion and a now-closed in- peachment. Pennsylvania.q