Reps. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) and Matt Rosendale (R-MT) reportedly questioned the seriousness of the Republican impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden, allegedly calling it a political stunt.
The comments were reportedly made on an invitation-only fundraiser held over Zoom last week, according to a video obtained by NBC News.
Gaetz and Rosendale, both of whom voted to remove Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) as Speaker of the House, reportedly issued warnings that the inquiry into Joe Biden might be used as a GOP leadership “smokescreen” to deflect from alleged wrongdoing committed by Hunter Biden, such as potentially violating the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) or the Mann Act.
Rosendale reportedly likened the inquiry to special counsel’s indictment of Hunter Biden on three gun charges, which excluded potential tax, sex trafficking, and FARA violations. “They’re doing the exact same thing,” Rosendale allegedly said.
“I just don’t get the sense that it’s for the sake of impeachment,” Gaetz reportedly said. “I think it’s for the sake of having another bad thing to say about Joe Biden.”
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Speaker Kevin McCarthy / FacebookThe conservative lawmakers’ critique came about a week before Rep. Nancy Mace (R-SC) expressed concern about the inquiry. Mace, who also voted to oust McCarthy, claimed that GOP leadership told moderates and conservatives two different stories about the purpose of the impeachment inquiry.
“Conservatives were told one thing about impeachment, moderates were told another thing,” Mace told Bannon’s War Room on Wednesday. “Conservatives were guaranteed an impeachment, moderates were guaranteed there will be no impeachment.”
The conservative skepticism has blossomed into questioning if House investigators subpoenaed Hunter and James Biden. Gaetz repeatedly appears to claim the Biden subpoenas have not been issued. However, House Oversight Committee Chair James Comer (R-KY) subpoenaed Hunter and James Biden on September 28, 315 days after formally launching an investigation into the Biden family.
“Today I will subpoena the bank records of Hunter Biden, James Biden and their affiliated companies,” Comer announced at the end of the first impeachment inquiry on September 28. “The witnesses today have all identified the evidence the committee is uncovered as deserving further inquiry. And that is what this committee will do, no matter where that evidence leads.”
The Oversight Committee could potentially hold a second impeachment inquiry in November, Time reported. Breitbart News could not confirm the timeframe of the report.
A source familiar with the committee’s deliberations told Breitbart News the committee is looking to bring in whistleblower Tony Bobulinski and other associates to testify in the second inquiry hearing. Bobulinski, a former partner of the Bidens, met Joe Biden in the lobby of the Beverly Hilton Hotel in May 2017 to discuss CEFC China Energy Co., an entity closely linked to the Chinese Communist Party.
Bobulinski’s testimony could add relevant details to the first impeachment inquiry in which legal scholar Jonathan Turley told the committee any monetary benefits to Biden family members are benefits to Joe Biden and, therefore, implicate him in wrongdoing. “As I point out in the testimony, courts have found that various benefits to family members can be attributed as a benefit to the principle,” he said. “That has included everything from throwing a golf contest in the favor of a son of a politician to paying for gifts.”
WATCH — Jonathan Turley: Evidence Supports Impeachment Inquiry
C-SPANSince November, the Republican investigation into the Biden family business found it had ties to at least 23 countries and raked in more than $24 million through more than 20 shell companies and LLCs.
“[E]vidence compiled by this committee justifies the investigation of Joe Biden’s role and his family’s International Business games and justifies the next step of this investigation,” Comer said.
Follow Wendell Husebø on Twitter @WendellHusebø. He is the author of Politics of Slave Morality.
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