In an appearance on Real Time with Bill Maher , conservative commentator Ben Shapiro said that the impeachment of President Donald Trump “should be on the table,” if Trump ends Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s probe.
After the host Bill Maher jokingly remarked, “Why a nice Jewish boy like you wants to be on team treason, I have no idea,” Ben Shapiro explained his reasoning, claiming that he would like to see evidence before jumping to conclusions about Donald Trump’s coordination with the Kremlin.
“I’m happy to wait for the Mueller indictments. If they come down, and target Trump, I’m happy to see him impeached. But, I need to see evidence. Where is the evidence?” Shapiro asked.
Maher then further pressed Shapiro on the issue, claiming that the Republicans are trying to impeach Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, in an effort to obstruct Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation into Russian election meddling and collusion with the Trump campaign.
Shapiro explained that he would consider that “crossing the line,” but only if Rosenstein was to be replaced with somebody willing to fire Mueller.
“There’s still another step has to happen. Rosenstein has to be replaced by somebody who then fires Mueller. So, if Rosenstein is fired, and Mueller’s left to his own devices — which is basically what happened with this investigation when Comey was fired — then I don’t see where the line is. Mueller is the one who matters here. Not Rosenstein, not Sessions.”
“If he (Rod Rosenstein’s hypothetical replacement) throws it in the trash, or quashes the Mueller investigation then, yes, impeachment should be on the table,” Shapiro concluded.
As The Hill reported this week, citing a new poll, Donald Trump’s approval rating has ticked up to 47 percent, almost reaching its highest point of 49 percent. Trump’s approval increased by 10 percentage points among Hispanic voters, by four percentage points among Democrats, and by six percentage points among Republicans. Among independents, however, Trump’s approval rating fell by four percentage points.
Ben Shapiro is not the only conservative who would support Donald Trump’s impeachment in the event of Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s firing. As Vox reported in March, Republicans Lindsey Graham and Jeff Flake also suggested that they would support Donald Trump’s impeachment, providing the president was somehow to get rid of Robert Mueller.
Some of President Trump’s closest confidants have, however, publicly called for the Mueller probe to be terminated. As the Inquisitr reported on June 17, President Donald Trump’s attorney, Rudy Giuliani, said that he wants a thorough investigation into the origins of the Russia probe, calling it “illegal” and “unethical.” According to Giuliani, it is not Trump who should be investigated, but Inspector General Michael Horowitz’s report clearly demonstrated the FBI’s preference for Trump’s political opponent, Hillary Clinton.
As USA Today noted, President Donald Trump has repeatedly criticized Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s probe, calling it a “witch hunt.” Other Republicans have claimed that, in spite of considering the investigation a witch hunt, Donald Trump will not seek Robert Mueller’s removal.