Rand Paul splits with Amash on Trump impeachment

Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) broke with his fellow libertarian-leaning lawmaker Rep. Justin Amash (R-Mich.) on impeachment Wednesday.

Paul told HuffPost in an interview that special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election was the “antithesis of libertarianism.”

“I actually think the libertarian position on the investigation is ― you know, libertarians, we’ve been very, very critical of the intelligence community having too much power, including congressman Amash has said, you know, really you should have to get a warrant before you get an American’s records,” Paul told the outlet.

{mosads}Amash this week became the first Republican in the House to support impeachment proceedings against President Trump based on the results of Mueller’s report.

He tweeted Saturday that “1. Attorney General Barr has deliberately misrepresented Mueller’s report. 2. President Trump has engaged in impeachable conduct. 3. Partisanship has eroded our system of checks and balances. 4. Few members of Congress have read the report.”

Amash’s comments have sparked intense backlash from all flanks of the Republican party.

Trump fired back at the Michigan lawmaker over the weekend, calling him a “loser.”

“How do you Obstruct when there is no crime and, in fact, the crimes were committed by the other side?” Trump tweeted Sunday. “Justin is a loser who sadly plays right into our opponents hands!”

Members of the conservative House Freedom Caucus, a group Amash helped found, voted to condemn his remarks Monday evening.