Preet Bharara: Rod Rosenstein's 'dramatic and defiant' response to a threat of impeachment was 'long overdue'

AP Photo/Andrew Harnik

Deputy US Attorney General Rod Rosenstein.

• Former US attorney Preet Bharara applauded Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein for his response to reports that some members of the House Freedom Caucus were moving to seek his impeachment as a last resort to hamstring the Russia investigation.
• Rosenstein slapped down that threat on Tuesday during a discussion with reporters, saying "The Department of Justice is not going to be extorted."
• The deputy attorney general oversees the Russia probe being led by special counsel Robert Mueller.

Preet Bharara, a former US attorney and an outspoken critic of President Donald Trump, applauded Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein's response to news that members of the House Freedom Caucus might seek to impeach him as a last resort.

Rosenstein slapped down that threat in front of reporters on Tuesday, saying "The Department of Justice is not going to be extorted."

Rosenstein oversees the special counsel Robert Mueller, who is conducting the Russia investigation and an inquiry into whether Trump obstructed justice during the probe while in office.

Bharara called Rosenstein's reaction "dramatic and defiant," and said that was precisely how Rosenstein needed to respond.

Here's Bharara: "To be clear: this is the most dramatic and defiant thing anyone at the top of DOJ has said about the ongoing nonsense," Bharara said, apparently referring to efforts by Trump's Republican allies in Congress to hamstring the Russia probe.

He said Rosenstein's clap-back was "long overdue."

Watch Rosenstein's full response to the impeachment question: