Matt Gaetz denounced GOP Biden impeachment effort in online fundraiser, report says

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Matt Gaetz denounced efforts by the GOP to impeach Joe Biden during an online fundraiser, according to a report.

At an invitation-only fundraiser held over Zoom last week, Mr Gaetz and fellow Freedom Caucus member Matt Rosendale denounced efforts to impeach the President as a political stunt.

“I don’t believe that we are endeavoring upon a legitimate impeachment of Joe Biden,” Mr Gaetz told former Trump adviser Steve Bannon, who was moderating the discussion.

“They’re trying to engage in a, like, ‘forever war’ of impeachment,” Mr Gaetz could be heard saying in a video obtained by NBC News. “And like many of our forever wars, it will drag on forever and end in a bloody draw.”

The fundraiser took place just days before Mr Gaetz led efforts to oust House speaker Kevin McCarthy in a historical first.

During the fundraiser, Mr Rosendale likened Congress’ probe of President Biden to the federal indictment of the president’s son Hunter.

Critics argue that the impeachment of Hunter Biden for possessing a firearm illegally while taking drugs has been tainted by preferential treatment and have argued it is a “smokescreen” intended to deflect attention from more serious crimes they accuse Hunter Biden of having committed.

“They’re doing the exact same thing,” Mr Rosendale said.

“I just don’t get the sense that it’s for the sake of impeachment. I think it’s for the sake of having another bad thing to say about Joe Biden,” Mr Gaetz added.

“If this was serious, we would have sent a subpoena to Hunter Biden,” said Mr Gaetz.

Impeachment proceedings against Joe Biden are being led by chair of the Oversight Committee Rep James Comer.

Republicans allege President Biden and his family personally profited from policies he pursued as vice president during former President Barack Obama’s administration between 2009 and 2017. Separately, they also allege the Justice Department interfered with a tax investigation of Hunter Biden. So far there have been no credible allegations made against the Biden family.