Freshman Republican: ‘I’d prosecute the Democrats for obstruction’

Freshman Rep. Guy Reschenthaler (R-Pa.) said during the House’s floor debate about the articles of impeachment that while he would defend President Trump, he would “prosecute the Democrats for obstruction.”

“As a lawyer, I would defend this case every day of the week,” Reschenthaler, who sits on the House Judiciary and Foreign Affairs committees, said.

“As a judge, I would dismiss this case for lack of merit. … I’ll tell you who I will prosecute, though. I would prosecute [House Intelligence Committee Chairman] Adam Schiff [D-Calif.] for abuse of power … and I’d prosecute the Democrats for obstruction,” he continued.

The two articles of impeachment brought against Trump accuse him of abuse of power over his dealings with Ukraine and obstruction of Congress during the impeachment inquiry.

Before he was elected to the House in January, Reschenthaler was a district judge. He also served in the U.S. Navy Judge Advocate General’s Corps.

He made similar comments last week when the Judiciary Committee was debating the articles of impeachment. 

During that hearing, Reschenthaler proposed an amendment that would have nullified the impeachment article alleging that Trump obstructed Congress during the impeachment inquiry.

“The facts simply do not align with the Democrats’ claim of obstruction,” he said at the time. “When there is a disagreement between the executive and the legislative branch, it is supposed to be resolved by the third branch, court.”