Rep. Justin Amash has stepped down from the House Freedom Caucus, telling CNN on Monday night that he had just told his colleagues.
The Michigan Republican, who last month became the first Republican to call for President Trump’s impeachment, said he didn’t want to be a distraction for the conservative group.
“I have the highest regard for them and they’re my close friends,” he told CNN. “I didn’t want to be a further distraction for the group.”
According to CNN, Mr. Amash told the network in March that he had stopped going to Caucus meetings because of continual clashes over the direction the group had taken under Mr. Trump.
Mr. Amash said he was not forced out of the group and that he told the other Freedom Caucus members at a Monday evening meeting before some House votes.
“It was a positive meeting. It wasn’t negative,” he said, adding that he has no hard feelings toward other members and that the parting was amicable.
Mr. Amash became an issue for Freedom Caucus members since concluding that former special counsel Robert Mueller’s report provides “multiple examples” of Mr. Trump obstructing justice and justification for impeachment.
• Victor Morton can be reached at vmorton@washingtontimes.com.
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