An official at one of the largest anti-Trump grassroots organizations in the country is dismissing a potential presidential bid by newly-independent Rep. Justin Amash (Mich.), saying it would be a waste of time and effort.
“All he’s doing would be helping Trump,” Scott Dworkin, co-founder of advocacy group Democratic Coalition, told Hill.TV during an appearance on “Rising.”
“It’s a wasted run, a wasted effort,” he added.
Dworkin advised Amash, a vocal Trump critic, to instead put his energy toward his congressional reelection bid against Republican challenger Jim Lowe.
“Focus on your district, stay where you’re at and focus on getting reelected as a congressman,” he told Hill.TV.
Amash announced over the weekend that he has not ruled out a presidential run and would consider running as an independent.
“I still wouldn’t rule anything like that out. I believe that I have to use my skills, my public influence, where it serves the country best,” Amash told CNN’s Jake Tapper during an interview on “State of the Union.”
These comments come after Amash announced in a Washington Post last week that he was officially leaving the Republican Party.
The Michigan lawmaker ignited a political firestorm in May when he became the first sitting GOP congressman to call for an impeachment inquiry against President Trump in light of special counsel Robert Mueller’s report.
Mueller’s report found no evidence of collusion between Russia and the Trump campaign, but it did not exonerate Trump of obstruction of justice, outlining 10 potential episodes of possibly obstructive behavior.
Mueller later issued a public statement, saying that he did not have the authority to impeach Trump, leaving it up to Congress. Mueller is now expected testify before House Democrats regarding the contents of his report next week.
Amash has since doubled down on his calls for impeachment, saying he thinks Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) is making a “moral” and “strategic” mistake by not calling for impeachment proceedings.
But, despite a growing number of Democrats calling for impeachment, Pelosi has maintained she will not begin proceedings for now.
—Tess Bonn
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