Tonight, Ranking Members Jerrold Nadler (D-NY) of the House Judiciary Committee, Elijah Cummings (D-MD) of the Oversight and Government Reform Committee, and Adam Schiff (D-CA) of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence issued the following joint statement after Representatives Mark Meadows (R-NC) and Jim Jordan (R-OH) introduced Articles of Impeachment against Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein along with 9 of their House Republican colleagues:

“This resolution to impeach Deputy Attorney General Rosenstein is a direct attack on the Special Counsel’s investigation—full stop.  It is a panicked and dangerous attempt to undermine an ongoing criminal investigation in an effort to protect President Trump as the walls are closing in around him and his associates.  It is certainly not, as its sponsors claim, a principled attempt to conduct oversight of the Department of Justice, because House Republicans have refused to conduct oversight of any aspect of the Trump Administration, except where the inquiry might distract from their failed agenda, undermine law enforcement, and serve the interests of President Trump. 

“It is fortunate that this resolution has no chance of actually forcing the removal of Deputy Attorney General Rosenstein, who stands as one of the few restraints against the overreaches of the President and his allies in Congress.  To date, Special Counsel Mueller has obtained 30 indictments and five guilty pleas against a group that includes four Trump campaign officials and 26 Russian nationals.  The President should not mistake this move by his congressional enablers as a pretext to take any action against Mr. Rosenstein or Mr. Mueller and his investigation. Any attempt to do so will be viewed by Congress and the American people as further proof of an effort to obstruct justice with severe consequences for Trump and his presidency.”

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