Rep. Chabot puts impeachment at center of his case for Judiciary post

Rep. Steve ChabotSteven (Steve) Joseph ChabotElection Countdown: O'Rourke goes on the attack | Takeaways from fiery second Texas Senate debate | Heitkamp apologizes for ad misidentifying abuse victims | Trump Jr. to rally for Manchin challenger | Rick Scott leaves trail to deal with hurricane damage Credit union group to spend .8 million for vulnerable Dem, GOP incumbents Sessions calls on former colleagues to send drone legislation to Trump's desk MORE (Ohio) is making the case that he’s the best Republican to have at the top of the House Judiciary Committee in the next Congress because of his experience in President Clinton’s impeachment.

Chabot was one of 13 House managers during the Clinton impeaching proceedings, experience he thinks will be useful to Republicans next year if they are battling Democrats seeking to impeach President TrumpDonald John TrumpTrump renews attacks against Tester over VA nominee on eve of Montana rally Trump submits 2017 federal income tax returns Corker: Trump administration 'clamped down' on Saudi intel, canceled briefing MORE.

In an interview with The Hill, Chabot said he’s optimistic the GOP will retain its majority, but thinks his skills make him a good choice to lead Republicans on Judiciary regardless of which party controls the House.

“I think my background on this could be helpful, if it comes to that,” he said of Republicans losing the House.

“If we're still in the majority, which I believe and certainly hope we still are, it will still be helpful to the extent that the Democrats are going to continue pushed by their base on that issue.”

Chabot is the most senior member on the Judiciary Committee seeking the gavel, but faces competition from Rep. Doug CollinsDouglas (Doug) Allen CollinsAs Kanye goes to the White House, both sides credit Kushner for prison reform House Republicans confident there won't be a government shutdown Lawmakers move to award posthumous Congressional Gold Medal to Aretha Franklin MORE (R-Ga.), a member of GOP leadership who currently serves as the vice chairman of the Republican Conference.

The Steering Committee is expected to make its decision on the matter after the midterm elections.

While House Minority Leader Nancy PelosiNancy Patricia D'Alesandro PelosiElection Countdown: O'Rourke goes on the attack | Takeaways from fiery second Texas Senate debate | Heitkamp apologizes for ad misidentifying abuse victims | Trump Jr. to rally for Manchin challenger | Rick Scott leaves trail to deal with hurricane damage Republicans should prepare for Nancy Pelosi to wield the gavel Pelosi calls Trump’s desire for border wall a ‘manhood issue’ MORE (D-Calif.) and House Minority Whip Steny HoyerSteny Hamilton HoyerDems damp down hopes for climate change agenda On The Money: Stocks slide for second day as Trump blames 'loco' Fed | Mulvaney calls for unity at consumer bureau | Pelosi says Dems will go after Trump tax returns Pelosi: Trump tax returns ‘one of the first things we’d do’ if Dems win House MORE (D-Md.) have discouraged Democrats from pushing for Trump’s impeachment ahead of the midterms, Chabot said he thinks they’ll be under enormous pressure to move forward if they retake the House.

“I think their base is demanding [impeachment],” he told The Hill. “And whether they fall in line or not, we'll see, but it's certainly a distinct possibility.”

As one of the House managers, Chabot, who practiced law for 18 years in the private sector, was tasked with essentially serving as a prosecutor making the case for Clinton's impeachment to the Senate. The Ohio Republican is one of just three Clinton impeachment managers still in Congress, along with Sen. Lindsey GrahamLindsey Olin GrahamGOP leaders hesitant to challenge Trump on Saudi Arabia Election Countdown: O'Rourke goes on the attack | Takeaways from fiery second Texas Senate debate | Heitkamp apologizes for ad misidentifying abuse victims | Trump Jr. to rally for Manchin challenger | Rick Scott leaves trail to deal with hurricane damage Five things to know about 'MBS,' Saudi Arabia's crown prince MORE (R-S.C.) and Jim Sensenbrenner (R-Wis.).

"If we're still in the majority, which I believe and certainly hope we still are, it will still be helpful to the extent that the Democrats are going to continue pushed by their base on that issue," he said. "I think when we went through the impeachment, I tend not to be a bomb thrower; I tend to be a bit more even-tempered."

Chabot said he has a positive working relationship with Rep. Jerry NadlerJerrold (Jerry) Lewis NadlerDershowitz: Impeaching Kavanaugh would be foolish, unconstitutional Key lawmaker promises investigation into Kavanaugh if Dems retake House Rosenstein set to meet with House GOP on Oct. 11 MORE (N.Y.), the ranking Democrat on Judiciary.

“Now, we're about as different on policy issues as you can get. He's as liberal as I am conservative, but we work together,” he said. “So I think that's helpful, I think it's also helpful having the benefit of having served under five chairmen of the Judiciary Committee.”

Chabot, who is now the chairman of the House Committee on Small Business and has served for 22 years on the Judiciary and Foreign Affairs committees, cited his work on a Burma sanctions bill as an example of his ability to bring committees together to accomplish legislative goals. 

The Ohio Republican also floated the idea of seeking the Foreign Affairs gavel, given Chairman Ed RoyceEdward (Ed) Randall RoyceGOP leaders hesitant to challenge Trump on Saudi Arabia Election Countdown: O'Rourke goes on the attack | Takeaways from fiery second Texas Senate debate | Heitkamp apologizes for ad misidentifying abuse victims | Trump Jr. to rally for Manchin challenger | Rick Scott leaves trail to deal with hurricane damage Saudi mystery drives wedge between Trump, GOP MORE’s (R-Calif.) retirement at the end of this Congress.

Chabot is critical of special counsel Robert MuellerRobert Swan MuellerSasse: US should applaud choice of Mueller to lead Russia probe MORE’s investigative team, arguing some people on his investigative team are too partisan. But he said he’s able to “look at the facts with an open mind.”

“I've seen how that [impeachment] really divides a country, and unless absolutely necessary it's to be avoided in my opinion,” he said. “And at this point, I haven't seen any evidence that there was collusion between this administration and the Russians to take the last election. I'm reserving my judgment until the end and until all the evidence is in.”