Justin Amash (R-MI) announced Monday evening that he would be parting ways with the House Freedom Caucus. The conservative caucus and the Michigan Congressman’s relationship have grown tenuous since the avowed libertarian came forward with the position that President Trump had shown conduct worthy of impeachment.
According to Jim Jordan in an appearance on The Ingraham Angle, while members of the caucus still consider Amash a friend, the differences in their beliefs on the subject were too “sharp” to ignore.
Amash made it clear that his departure was a mutual arrangement and in no way forced.
Amash, speaking at a Freedom Caucus board meeting, insisted his departure was voluntary. Amash said he did not want to continue to be a ‘further distraction’ for the caucus…
Amash has not had an easy go of it, being the only Republican to openly call for President Trump’s impeachment. Mark Meadows, who heads the House Freedom Caucus, attempted to sever any perceived ties he and Amash had long before Amash's statement yesterday, saying last month: “Justin Amash’s conclusions are poorly informed and fatally flawed and don’t represent the views of any of the Freedom Caucus members that I’m aware of…”
Trump hasn’t remained quiet on Amash either, blasting the Congressman on Twitter shortly after his declaration in May:
Never a fan of @justinamash, a total lightweight who opposes me and some of our great Republican ideas and policies just for the sake of getting his name out there through controversy. If he actually read the biased Mueller Report, “composed” by 18 Angry Dems who hated Trump,....
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 19, 2019
Some have accused Amash of taking his position on impeachment, not because of principle, but for the sole purpose of attention-seeking.
While Amash’s motivations for calling for impeachment may be challenged, the Congressman hasn’t backed down, and shows no indication of doing so.