Paul Ryan pushes back on conservatives, saying he does not support impeaching Rosenstein

Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) on Thursday came out against the conservative push to impeach Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, the top Justice Department official overseeing special counsel Robert Mueller’s Russia investigation. 

“Do I support impeachment of Rod Rosenstein?” he asked during a press briefing at the Capitol. “No, I do not.”

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“I don’t think we should be cavalier with this process or this term [impeachment],” he said. “I don’t think this rises to the level of high crimes and misdemeanors.”

A group of 11 conservative House lawmakers, led by Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), the co-founder of the House Freedom Caucus, and Rep. Mark Meadows (R-N.C.), the group’s current chairman, on Wednesday introduced articles of impeachment against Rosenstein. 

The articles of impeachment charge that Rosenstein has a conflict of interest in Mueller’s probe and has failed to produce documents for ongoing congressional investigations into the FBI and Justice Department’s conduct during the 2016 presidential race.

Meadows on Wednesday night threatened to force a vote on Rosenstein’s impeachment by bringing it up as a “privileged” resolution, meaning the House must vote on it within two days. 

Ryan has not signed on in support of the resolution, but Meadows said it would not require his consent. 

Other top GOP lawmakers have voiced concerns about the push to impeach Rosenstein. 

Rep. Trey Gowdy (R-S.C.) last week  ruled out the possibility of impeaching Rosenstein, saying there is not enough support for his ouster, while Rep. Mark Walker (R-N.C.), the chairman of the conservative Republican Study Committee, on Thursday  came out in opposition, telling reporters on Capitol Hill that he would vote against any effort to impeach Rosenstein.