President Trump welcomed news that Democratic Rep. Jeff Van Drew of New Jersey is rumored to be leaving his party to join the GOP in opposition to impeachment.
“Wow, that would be big,” Trump tweeted in the early hours of Sunday morning. “Always heard Jeff is very smart!”
Wow, that would be big. Always heard Jeff is very smart! https://t.co/7yDPU4N3wd
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 15, 2019
News that Van Drew’s chief of staff has reportedly notified the lawmaker’s campaign and congressional staffs that he’s switching to the GOP drew condemnation from other New Jersey Democrats.
“Jeff Van Drew has chosen his political career over our Constitution,” New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy said. “Despite knowing full well that the president has abused the powers of his office, Congressman Van Drew is now willing to enable Donald Trump just to try to salvage his own election … Betraying our values by siding with Donald Trump is the final straw and made it impossible for him to continue being supported by our party, as grassroots activists, local party leaders in his district, and I have made clear in recent weeks.”
A Democratic source also criticized Van Drew for leaving the party, saying, “He’s an NRA favorite. He’s passed no meaningful legislation, he’s raised no money, and his own polling shows he has no chance in the election. This has nothing to do with impeachment and everything to do with a politician who hasn’t delivered for his constituents.”
Van Drew has been consistent in his opposition to articles of impeachment against Trump and was one of two House Democrats to vote against the impeachment resolution in October. He also told Fox Business last month that the “Founding Fathers had vigorous debates of whether they would even allow impeachment in the Constitution … You don’t disenfranchise voters, millions upon millions of voters. Voters choose their leaders in America.”
