FILE PHOTO: Speaker of the House Paul Ryan (R-WI) speaks to the media on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC, U.S., March 6, 2018. REUTERS/Joshua Roberts/File Photo

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. House speaker Paul Ryan on Thursday said he did not back an effort by some House Republicans to impeach Deputy U.S. Attorney General Rod Rosenstein.

“Do I support impeachment of Rod Rosenstein? No, I do not ... for number of reasons,” he told reporters. Lawmakers should not be “cavalier” with the impeachment process, he said, adding that he did not think the department’s action “rises to the level of high crimes and misdemeanors.”