Rep. Mo Brooks (R-AL), one of the most outspoken opponents of immigration reform in the House of Representatives, isn’t quite sure on what specific grounds President Barack Obama would be impeached over his planned executive action on immigration, but thinks Obama will be impeached nonetheless.
“At some point, you have to evaluate whether the president’s conduct aids or abets, encourages, or entices foreigners to unlawfully cross into the United States,” Brooks said in an interview with Slate. “That has a five-year in-jail penalty associated with it.”
But Brooks wasn’t quite clear on exactly what grounds Obama could be impeached.
“If the president is simply not obeying a statute that is noncriminal in nature, that does not necessarily rise to a high crime or a misdemeanor,” Brooks said.
He added that since he doesn’t know what Obama will do yet “it is difficult to say whether he is violating a civil statute or violating a criminal statute.”
Brook’s comments came a few hours ahead of a speech Obama plans to deliver on Thursday night where he reportedly will lay out his executive actions on immigration. Republicans have expressed broad opposition. Sen. Tom Coburn (R-OK) for example suggested that there could be violence over this.
Brooks, again, has been one of the most animated critics of immigration reform. In August he said Republican efforts to attract Hispanic supporters was essentially “race-baiting.”
