Washington - 21 May 2019

1. Rep. Justin Amash walking outside U.S. Capitol

2. SOUNDBITE (English) Reporter, off camera:

"What do you think of other libertarians thinking that you should run for president now that you've spoken out against Donald Trump?"

3. SOUNDBITE (English) Rep. Justin Amash, R-Michigan:

"I'm not thinking about that right now. I'm defending the Constitution. That's, that's my job."

4. SOUNDBITE (English) Reporter, off camera:

"Do you feel like you've kind of been left out from your other colleagues who aren't following your call for impeachment?"

5. SOUNDBITE (English) Rep. Justin Amash, R-Michigan:

"No I don't feel left out."

6. SOUNDBITE (English) Reporter, off camera:

"Do you think that other people should be joining with you, others of your colleagues. What have your discussions been..."

7. SOUNDBITE (English) Rep. Justin Amash, R-Michigan:

"I think, I think I think they should. But, yeah I first want to make sure that everyone's read the report carefully and I'm not sure everyone has. So, you know in fact I'm confident that most of them have not. So I'd like to I'd like to have them do that first."

8. SOUNDBITE (English) Reporter, off camera:

"What led you to speak out about this? I mean it has been at least a few weeks since the Mueller report came out. What made you decide to talk out now?"

9. SOUNDBITE (English) Rep. Justin Amash, R-Michigan:

"Well I took my time to review it carefully and analyze it carefully and I thought it was the appropriate time to make a comment."

He was known in the Michigan statehouse as "Mr. No" for voting against some Republican legislation.

But now in Congress, on the question of whether President Donald Trump should be impeached, Rep. Justin Amash is the lone Republican saying "Yes."

In tweeted remarks over the weekend, Amash wrote that he's read special counsel Robert Mueller's report on Trump's conduct during and after the 2016 presidential election.

Mueller did not find evidence of conspiracy with Russia, but he revealed startling details about Trump's efforts to shut down the probe and made no recommendation on obstruction.

Amash did, becoming the only Republican in Congress to call for the House to formally charge the president.

Outside the Capitol Building Tuesday, Amash said he is "defending the Constitution."

The backlash from Republicans was swift and sharp against a congressman from a key state that Trump swiped from Democrats — by less than a percentage point — for the first time since the Reagan administration.

But Amash says the other members of his party should join him,

"I first want to make sure that everyone's read the report carefully and I'm not sure everyone has. So, you know in fact I'm confident that most of them have not. So I'd like to I'd like to have them do that first," Amash said Tuesday.

In his bid to keep the state in his column next year, Trump launched a weaponized tweet that could serve as a warning to other Republicans considering defying him.