Donald Trump’s Russia Ties Concern Republicans, Who Would Back Impeachment

In the past few weeks, the public has demanded answers on the Trump Russia scandal, in what is a bipartisan national security concern, but the public is not taking kindly to Republicans that appear to be blocking the Trump Russia investigations currently ongoing in Congress. But Think Progress reports on at least two Republicans that would back Trump impeachment, if necessary.

For the most part, Republicans appear to not be on board with the Trump Russia investigations. The Washington Post penned an Op-Ed about it, saying that by so doing, by putting support for party over country, Republicans are appearing as accomplices in the Trump Russia scandal. They are also putting the Republican party in an “untenable position” by supporting Trump over Trump Russia investigations.

Republican Devin Nunes, the chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, has not done the party any favors in this regard. He has been making headlines for two solid weeks now on his actions that appear to support Donald Trump, and block Trump Russia investigations.

The story of Trump’s Russia ties have been reported on globally since the election’s summer months, when Donald Trump invited Russia to hack Hillary Clinton’s emails at a rally. Donald Trump’s high praise of Russian president Vladimir Putin, with little outcry from the Republicans, has done little to dissuade the American people into thinking Republicans are all in the Trump Russian scandal together.

But with every passing day, more and more information and evidence comes to light that has even Republicans coming out against the Trump Russia scandal. Donald Trump has lost a member of his cabinet for communications with Russia. News broke this week that the same member of his cabinet, Michael Flynn, is seeking immunity from prosecution in exchange for testimony on his alleged role in the Trump Russia scandal.

All of these events are giving everybody pause, including some Republicans. Republican Senator John McCain and Republican Senator Lindsey Graham have been very vocal about how they feel about the Trump Russia problem. Today on ABC’s Sunday Morning, Bipartisan Report says that Senator John McCain said this about Trump and Russia.

“Every time we turn around, another shoe drops from this centipede. We need to examine every aspect of it: President Trump’s priorities, and the other priorities that many of us believe exist.”

Senator John McCain has also called Trump’s praise of Putin appalling.

https://twitter.com/WomenSaveUSA/status/848368569159041024

This week, two other Republicans have come forward to say, if they see evidence indicating the Trump Russia allegations are true, they will back impeachment efforts. Republican Rep. Andy Harris of Maryland held a town hall on Friday, a district that is widely Republican. Andy Harris won the district with 67 percent of the vote, in a district that Trump won by 62 percent of the vote.

But Republicans in Maryland are not happy with what is going on with the Trump Russia scandal. Rep. Harris is backing them, and he backs their requests for an independent investigation into the Trump Russia scandal, one that would occur outside of Congress.

“If we can’t get information, if for some reason the congressional investigation is biased, I want an unbiased investigation. I support investigating it, I want to know what they find. I want to hear some of the testimony, and then I’ll decide.”

Republican Rep. Tom Garrett of Virginia also held a town hall on Friday at the University of Virginia. Tom Garrett won his district with 58.3 percent of the votes, according to the New York Times. He was directly asked by his Republican constituents where he stood on Trump impeachment.

He said he is not against impeachment of Trump if the evidence shows something really bad happened.

“If someone truly brought forward evidence that was undeniable, I would be in support of removal.”

Many Americans, Republicans and Democrats alike, have been disappointed by Republicans that appear to be putting party over country. When Devin Nunes engaged in actions that were seen as partisan efforts to support Trump, many in Congress called for his recusal of the House Intelligence Committee investigating Trump Russia ties.

Speaker of the House Rep. Paul Ryan has said that he doesn’t think that it is necessary and has faith in Nunes and the investigation. This did not make the public happy.

But as The Hill reports, cracks in the Republican party are beginning to appear. In addition to Senator McCain, Senator Lindsey, Rep. Harris, and Rep. Garrett, more Republicans are coming on board with the need for a bipartisan independent investigation, and an exposure of all of the facts at hand. Rep. Walter Jones of North Carolina, also a Republican, is asking for Devin Nunes to recuse himself from the investigation for those reasons, reports The Hill.

The Washington Post has reported that “it is the Republicans who are covering up” and that, without an independent investigation, and a bipartisan show of faith by Republicans, the Republicans are putting their party in an untenable position. Even Republicans are losing faith in them, as noted in the town halls held by Republicans recently.

“This approach is not only damaging to U.S. national security, but also puts the Republican Party in an untenable position. When Republicans stand in the way of thorough, open, and immediate investigations, they become Russia’s accomplice after the fact.”

The Los Angeles Times reported on an Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research poll that found that 52 percent of Americans support an independent investigation, and 23 percent oppose. Twenty-two percent say they neither favor nor oppose an independent investigation.

The Inquisitr reported on a Trump impeachment poll out last week. In that poll, 44 percent of voters are in favor of a Trump impeachment, 45 percent are against. Eleven percent of voters were unsure.

This number is up from 40 percent in favor of Trump impeachment in February. As the Trump Russia evidence begins to build, those numbers could change. With every new piece of Trump Russia evidence that hits the airwaves, new Republicans appear to be on board with removal, if the evidence justifies it.

[Feature Image by Cliff Owen/AP Images]