Gohmert: Congress-caused default is 'an impeachable offense by the president'

Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-TX) asserted last week that if Congress does not raise the debt ceiling and allows the United States to default on its debt then it "would be an impeachable offense by the president."

The Young Turks caught up with the Texas Republican on Friday at the Values Voter Summit and asked him if he would vote on any deal to raise the debt ceiling.

"It just depends on what it is," he replied. "The word 'deal' concerns me... if it's good for America."

"Would you allow us to default on our debt?" a reporter from The Young Turks wondered.

"No, that would be an impeachable offense by the president," Gohmert declared.

During an last week, Gohmert had said that the president didn't mind "seeing America suffer," but added that the government could not default if it stayed shut down.

"And when you know — as I know you do — that we have enough money coming in every week to pay our — to keep from defaulting," he explained. "Now, we may have to keep some folks furloughed. Because as we know now, 94 percent of the [Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)] is non-essential. You know, we may have to ask some folks that are non-essential to stay home for a while longer."

"But there is no reason we should ever, ever default on our debts unless the president and the treasury secretary conspire to make us default."

Watch this video from The Young Turks, broadcast Oct 13, 2013.

(h/t: The Huffington Post)