Rep. Jody Hice and others in Congress said this week they’re working to impeach the prosecutor with oversight into the investigation of President Donald Trump’s campaign, and into alleged election interference by Russia.
Reps. Mark Meadows, R-N.C., and Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, along with nine cosponsors including Hice, introduced the articles of impeachment against Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein on Wednesday.
Rosenstein has led the case in the wake of Attorney General Jeff Sessions’ recusal last year. But the 11 congressmen, members of the conservative Freedom Caucus, said the Justice Department has not complied with its oversight duties.
The sponsors say Rosenstein has withheld “embarrassing documents and information,” hid material investigative information from Congress and failed to comply with subpoenas.
“I have tremendous respect for the men and women of the Department of Justice and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, many of whom put their lives on the line every day in service to our country,” Hice, R-Ga., said.We have given Rod Rosenstein every opportunity to comply with Congressional requests. He has evaded our oversight time and again. As our last recourse, we need to #ImpeachRosenstein to hold him accountable – before the American people lose all trust and confidence in the #DOJ. https://t.co/INyuBi5axk
— Rep. Jody Hice (@CongressmanHice) July 25, 2018
“Unfortunately, for too long, there has been a culture of stonewalling and misdirection that has permeated the highest levels of these organizations, most especially under the failed leadership of Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein and former FBI Director James Comey.
“It is the duty of America’s law enforcement agencies to rise above the fray, and it is our duty in Congress to root out corruption in our government when it presents itself. While we have acted in good faith and given DAG Rosenstein every opportunity to comply with congressional requests, he has evaded our attempts to conduct oversight time and time again. Now, the only recourse we have left in order to fulfill our vested duty is to hold Rod Rosenstein accountable — before the American people lose all trust and confidence in these agencies.”
Meadows claimed Rosenstein used unverified political opposition research as the cornerstone of a Federal Intelligence Surveillance Act application to wiretap Carter Page, a Trump campaign adviser on foreign policy.
The FBI in 2016 claimed Page was “the subject of targeted recruitment by the Russian government,” but he has not been charged with any crimes.
“This level of conduct, paired with the failure to even feign an interest in transparency, is reprehensible,” Meadows said. “And whether you’re a Republican or a Democrat, this kind of obstruction is wrong — period.”
Last month Hice was one of nine members of Congress to write Rosenstein demanding the names of all people who have been a part of Robert Mueller’s investigation, so as to determine political biases and conflicts of interest.
Through the #IGReport, Americans discovered text after text & email after email demonstrating in no uncertain terms that FBI agents working on the Clinton case leading up to the 2016 election were clearly biased against @realDonaldTrump. I’ve joined the call to reveal the agents. https://t.co/r3h5xgur6y
— Rep. Jody Hice (@CongressmanHice) June 25, 2018
The Justice Department has not commented on the
articles of impeachment against Rosenstein.
