WASHINGTON (AP) — The Latest on conservative Republicans effort to impeach Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein (all times local):
11:50 a.m.
House Speaker Paul Ryan says he does not support an effort by Republican House conservatives to impeach Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein.
At a news conference Thursday, Ryan says he doesn’t think lawmakers should be “cavalier” with the impeachment process.
He also says Rosenstein’s back-and-forth with congressional Republicans over document requests doesn’t rise to the level of “high crimes and misdemeanors” that would warrant impeachment under the Constitution.
Ryan made the comments a day after a group of 11 GOP lawmakers filed articles of impeachment against Rosenstein.
The group, led by Rep. Mark Meadows of North Carolina, has criticized Rosenstein and Justice Department officials for not being responsive enough as House committees have requested documents related to the Russia investigation and the closed investigation into Democrat Hillary Clinton’s emails
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12:16 a.m.
Months of House Republican criticism of the Justice Department has culminated in the introduction of articles of impeachment against Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein.
Rosenstein oversees special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation of Russian election meddling and possible ties to the Trump campaign. President Donald Trump has fumed about Mueller’s probe and repeatedly called it a “witch hunt.”
The 11 House members who introduced the articles of impeachment are led by an ardent Trump defender, congressman Mark Meadows of North Carolina.
They accuse Rosenstein of failing to provide information to House committees, even though the Justice Department has already provided more than 800,000 documents. They also accuse Rosenstein of signing off on improper surveillance of a Trump adviser.
It’s unclear whether there’s support in the House to pass the impeachment resolution.
