- The Washington Times - Sunday, December 8, 2019

Rep. Matt Gaetz on Sunday said it’s “weird” that President Trump’s personal lawyer Rudolph W. Giuliani made a recent trip to Ukraine amid House Democrats’ ongoing impeachment inquiry.

“The president put out a statement that said that Rudy Giuliani does want to come into Congress and explain his role, explain what he’s been up to,” Mr. Gaetz, Florida Republican, said on ABC’s “This Week.”

“I believe that the president urging Mayor Giuliani to provide that clarity to the Congress will be helpful in resolving what seems to be odd, having him over there at this time,” said Mr. Gaetz, a top ally of Mr. Trump.

Mr. Giuliani recently traveled to Ukraine to meet with various officials, as House Democrats probe whether Mr. Trump improperly pressured Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky into announcing investigations into former Vice President Joseph R. Biden and the 2016 U.S. election.

Mr. Giuliani told OAN that Mr. Trump “is asking for this.”

The president told reporters on Saturday that he expects Mr. Giuliani to submit a report to the Justice Department and to Congress about his findings overseas.

“He has not told me what he found, but I think he wants to go before Congress … and also to the attorney general and the Department of Justice. I hear he has found plenty,” Mr. Trump said.

Rep. Mark Meadows, another key GOP ally of the president, suggested on Sunday that Mr. Giuliani was freelancing somewhat with his latest venture.

“I think he’s over there as a citizen. I think part of that is probably trying to clear his name,” Mr. Meadows said on CNN’s “State of the Union.” “He is the president’s personal attorney, but I don’t know that he’s over there at the president’s direction. In fact, I would suggest that he’s not.”

• David Sherfinski can be reached at dsherfinski@washingtontimes.com.

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