Independent Rep. Justin Amash said during a Sunday morning interview with CNN’s Jake Tapper that he would have left the Republican Party even if Donald Trump were not president.
Amash announced he was leaving the party in a Washington Post op-ed published on the Fourth of July.
“You didn’t mention President Trump in your op-ed in the Post but you did say you believe the GOP stood for limited government and economic freedom until recent years,” Tapper began. “Do you think you would be leaving the Republican Party if Donald Trump were not president?”
“Yes, I do. And I’ve had concerns with the Republican Party for several years. I’ve had concerns with the party system generally. When I first got to Congress I thought I could change things from the inside,” Amash answered. “But as I’ve spent time there, I’ve seen that not only me, I don’t think there is anyone in there who could change. It is pretty rigid. It’s top down. It comes down from leadership to the bottom. And over the years it’s gotten more rigid, so it is more difficult now to actually change the process than it was even a few years ago.”
Amash’s split from the party comes after he faced criticism from within the GOP for becoming the first and only Republican to call for President Trump’s impeachment in the wake of the Mueller report.
Calling him “one of the dumbest & most disloyal men in Congress,” as well as “a total loster,” Trump celebrated when Amash withdrew from the party.
Great news for the Republican Party as one of the dumbest & most disloyal men in Congress is “quitting” the Party. No Collusion, No Obstruction! Knew he couldn’t get the nomination to run again in the Great State of Michigan. Already being challenged for his seat. A total loser!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 4, 2019
