GOP group calls out five House Republicans to speak up on Ukraine

A Republican group is calling on five House Republicans to speak out against the Ukrainian scandal at the center of an impeachment inquiry into Trump in new ads that aired on “Morning Joe” and “Fox & Friends” Thursday in their districts. 

The new Republicans For the Rule of Law ads target four GOP lawmakers in competitive districts, as well as Rep. Mark Amodei (Nev.), who was recognized as the first House Republican to back an impeachment inquiry before he clarified his comments. 

GOP Reps. Fred Upton (Mich.), Brian Fitzpatrick (Pa.), Will Hurd (Texas) and Jaime Herrera Beutler (Wash.) all represent districts with competitive races, according to The Cook Political Report.{mosads}

Republicans for the Rule of Law spokesman Chris Truax said in a statement that it is time for members of Congress to decide if they “want to be remembered as a partisan hack, or as statesmen who answered the call of history and defended the Constitution.”

“Republicans in Congress must speak out against President Trump’s admitted abuse of power and stand up for Congress’s duty to conduct a full investigation. They swore an oath to the Constitution, and that oath requires that they not allow the president to behave as if he’s above the law,” Truax said. 

“Leadership is doing what needs to be done, not what’s easy and safe.”

A whistleblower complaint alleges Trump solicited foreign interference into the 2020 election by pressuring Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to investigate former Vice President Joe Biden, a leading 2020 candidate. 

The House launched an impeachment inquiry into Trump last week after the whistleblower’s allegations emerged. 

Almost all House Democrats back the inquiry, but most Republicans have stood by the president and his defense of the call. 

Some of the Republicans the group is targeting have expressed support for the House conducting oversight, though none have called for removing Trump from office.

Amodei was thought the be the first House Republican to back the impeachment inquiry, but later clarified that he supports the oversight process and “in no way” indicated “support for impeachment.” 

Hurd, who represents a district Cook said leans Democratic, said Sunday Congress needs to investigate the allegations against Trump but said it’s “premature” to make a statement on impeachment, adding that the formal inquiry was “wordplay” to appease progressive Democrats.

Hurd announced in August he is not seeking reelection in 2020.