Dem lawmaker: There isn’t a crime Trump could commit that would cause GOP to turn on him

Rep. Jim Himes (D-Conn.) said Thursday that impeachment proceedings would be a waste of effort for the House, as the GOP-controlled Senate would refuse to take any action against the president.

Himes told CNN that the Republican Party’s loyalty to President Trump would transcend any evidence of criminality the Democratic House could uncover.

{mosads}”I don’t think there is a crime that this president could commit that would cause the Republican Party to turn on him,” Himes said Thursday.

“I wish I could give you an answer with intense conviction,” Himes added. “This is a really difficult box to be in for the Congress of the United States and certainly the Speaker of the House.”

Himes continued, adding that he has “absolutely no question” about how that ends, stating that the Republican-controlled Senate had no interest in holding the president accountable for potentially obstructing justice related to efforts to impede the Russia investigation.

“There is, at least in my mind, absolutely no question about how that ends. And that ends with the Senate not convicting,” he said.

“I don’t think there is a crime that this President could commit that would cause the Republican Party to turn on him,” says Rep. Jim Himes on impeachment. “We would get to a point after a lot of time, energy and resources only to have the Senate turn around and acquit him.” pic.twitter.com/fuIEHGGAFS

— Anderson Cooper 360° (@AC360) April 18, 2019

Himes’s comments echo those from members of Democratic leadership on Thursday, including House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.), who told reporters that impeachment proceedings were not “worthwhile” based on what was in special counsel Robert Mueller’s report.

“Based on what we have seen to date, going forward on impeachment is not worthwhile at this point,” Hoyer said on CNN. “Very frankly, there is an election in 18 months and the American people will make a judgement.”