Newt Gingrich just claimed the president can't obstruct justice. He helped impeach Bill Clinton for exactly that.

(Image credit: Aaron P. Bernstein/Getty Images)

published 16 June 2017

Another day, another Newt Gingrich quote to get folks riled up. This one was delivered at the National Press Club on Friday, when Gingrich reacted to the news that Special Counsel Robert Mueller is investigating President Trump for possible obstruction of justice.

"The president of the United States cannot obstruct justice," Gingrich declared.

That didn't go over so well:

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Former President Bill Clinton was impeached for obstruction of justice and perjury, charges led by then-Speaker of the House Gingrich. Fast forward nearly two decades, though, and Gingrich is no longer a fan of using such minor technicalities to spearhead presidential probes. "Republicans are delusional if they think the special counsel is going to be fair. Look who he is hiring," Gingrich tweeted Monday. "Time to rethink."

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Jeva Lange was the executive editor at TheWeek.com. She formerly served as The Week's deputy editor and culture critic. She is also a contributor to Screen Slate, and her writing has appeared in The New York Daily News, The Awl, Vice, and Gothamist, among other publications. Jeva lives in New York City. Follow her on Twitter.