GOP Rep. Peter Meijer says he is 'considering' Trump impeachment after Capitol riot

Corrections and clarifications: The Associated Press, citing unidentified sources, reported in January that Officer Brian Sicknick may have been hit in the head by a fire extinguisher. But no official cause of death has been released, and U.S. Capitol Police have said only that he died “due to injuries sustained while on-duty.”

As the House prepares to vote on a single article of impeachment against President Donald Trump Wednesday, one freshman Republican member of Congress has said he might support the effort.

Rep. Peter Meijer, R-Mich., told his local Grand Rapids TV station that he is “strongly considering” impeachment this week after Trump supporters stormed and ransacked the U.S. Capitol, interrupting Congress’ certification of the presidential election results.

“When it comes to impeachment, it's something we're strongly considering at this point. Again, you know there are timelines and other considerations and additional information that I want to have before making that decision affirmatively,” Meijer told FOX 17 Monday.

More: Democrats officially introduce impeachment article; Republicans block 25th Amendment resolution

More: What President Trump would lose if he were impeached again

Meijer expressed horror at the Capitol riot in an op-ed for the Detroit News, where he cautioned his fellow Republicans to chart a different course.

More: Remember the Alamo? Donald Trump heads to Texas to defend legacy tarnished by Capitol riot

“Blood has been spilled, and those who encouraged this insurrection are in too deep,” Meijer wrote on Saturday. He also argued that Republicans who have not entertained the president’s conspiracy theories, “who refused to cower, who have told the truth, have suffered the consequences.”

Meijer, who was sworn in Jan. 3, represents Michigan’s 3rd District, which encompasses the city of Grand Rapids and other parts of Western Michigan.

He is the successor to former Rep. Justin Amash, the former Tea Party Republican who left the party over Trump’s grip on the conservative movement to join the Libertarian Party. At 33, Meijer is one of the youngest members of the House.

During his FOX 17 interview, Meijer said that a video Trump posted to Twitter ostensibly meant to quell the violence at the Capitol was “deeply disqualifying.” In the video, Trump repeated false claims of widespread election fraud and told the violent mob “we love you” and “you’re very special” but they needed to “go home.”

More: Sheldon Adelson, casino magnate and Republican donor dies at 87

Meijer noted that Trump “said that while Officer Sicknick was in the hospital on life support after getting bludgeoned with a fire extinguisher," Meijer said, referencing the death of US Capitol Police officer Brian Sicknick, who was killed by rioters. "You know to me that was deeply disqualifying and left him frankly unfit for the office. So I do think the best course of action would be to resign."

The Associated Press, citing unidentified sources, reported that Sicknick may have been hit in the head by a fire extinguisher. But no official cause of death has been released, and U.S. Capitol Police have said only that he died “due to injuries sustained while on-duty” and provided no other details.

“I have been called a traitor more times than I can count. I regret not bringing my gun to D.C.,” Meijer wrote in his op-ed.

Meijer has not yet fully committed to supporting the article of impeachment against Trump, which alleges the president committed "high crimes and misdemeanors" for “inciting violence against the Government of the United States.”

More: How conservative media stoked baseless election-fraud claims that motivated D.C. rioters

Rep. Adam Kinzinger, R-Ill., has also signaled support for impeachment. Freshman Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., has like Meijer expressed outrage at the Capitol riot and blamed her Republican colleagues.

Fact check: Video shows Trump family in tent before Jan. 6 rally

More: Bill Belichick just can't accept the Medal of Freedom from President Trump

Yet while Meijer and other fellow Republicans indicate they may join House Democrats in impeaching the president, potentially signaling cracks in GOP support for Trump, over 100 GOP House members still supported the president’s contestation of the election after Capitol was overtaken.

House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy has said he opposes impeachment.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: GOP Rep. Peter Meijer considers impeaching Trump after Capitol riot