Former Trump campaign manager Corey Lewandowski on Wednesday said Democrats on the House Judiciary Committee who are pressing forward with an inquiry on whether to recommend articles of impeachment against President Trump are motivated in part by fending off criticism from their left flank.

“I believe that there are very many members on that committee who only care about making sure they’re reelected, and they can be as far left as possible so they can fend off those primary challenges, and I think Congressman Nadler is one of them in the Upper West Side of New York,” Mr. Lewandowski said on Fox News’ “Fox & Friends.”

Mr. Nadler, who tangled with Mr. Lewandowski at a hearing on Tuesday on Capitol Hill, has already drawn at least one primary challenger.

Mr. Lewandowski also pointed to former longtime Reps. Joseph Crowley of New York and Michael Capuano of Massachusetts, who lost in primary races last year to Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Ayanna Pressley, respectively.

“They were both 10-term incumbents who had been in Washington for a long time who lost their race by challenge[s] on the left — not because of a competitive congressional district, but because of a competitive primary,” he said.

Mr. Lewandowski delivered a defiant performance at a contentious hearing on Tuesday but said there was no “preconceived” determination not to answer questions from lawmakers on the judiciary committee.

“We were there with no preconceived decision to not answer questions — the White House asked for us to preserve the privilege of private conversation with the president,” the former campaign manager said.

“And let’s just be clear — it’s not my privilege to preserve,” he added. “So as the White House directed, I agreed to that and that’s what the White House asked for.”

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