Rep. Louie Gohmert, R-Texas, said Wednesday that if President Trump decides to fire special counsel Robert Mueller, it is not an impeachable offense.
“He should be fired,” Gohmert said of Mueller, who is investigating Russia’s meddling in the 2016 election.
During his comments at the “Conversation with Conservatives” meeting, Gohmert went back and forth on whether Mueller should actually be fired, arguing that the only reason Mueller should not be fired is because some Republicans have said Trump faces impeachment if he were to fire the special counsel.
“No it’s not,” he said about whether it’s an impeachable offense. “He needs to go. But the only reason that he’s not going and the president’s not gonna fire him and that I’m not calling for him to be fired now — he should be. He really should — but I’m not calling for him to be fired because of the establishment Republicans that think they’d have to come after Trump if he were to fire him.”
Republican Sens. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina and Jeff Flake of Arizona have both broached the possibility of impeachment if Trump fires Mueller.
Gohmert has previously called on Mueller to resign.
Trump tweeted about Mueller by name for the first time over the weekend, questioning why the Russia investigation included more Democrats than Republicans. Mueller himself is a Republican who was appointed to lead the FBI under President George W. Bush.
On Wednesday morning, Trump quoted Harvard Law professor Alan Dershowitz, who is opposed to Mueller’s appointment as special counsel.
“There never should have been a Special Council appointed because there was no probable cause for believing that there was any crime, collusion or otherwise, or obstruction of justice!” Trump tweeted.
