Gaetz says Biden impeachment not ‘legitimate,’ will end in a ‘bloody draw’

Rep. Matt Gaetz, the conservative Republican who engineered the ouster of Speaker Kevin McCarthy, told donors earlier that the House impeachment inquiry into President Biden didn’t seem serious and would end in a “bloody draw.”

In an invitation-only fundraising Zoom event last week, Mr. Gaetz, Florida Republican, said that he didn’t believe that “we are endeavoring upon a legitimate impeachment of Joe Biden,” according to NBC News.

The fundraiser featured Mr. Gaetz and Rep. Matt Rosendale, Montana Republican, and was moderated by former Trump adviser and podcaster Steve Bannon and Caroline Wren, a Republican fundraiser.

“They’re trying to engage in a, like, ‘forever war’ of impeachment,” Mr. Gaetz said. “And like many of our forever wars, it will drag on forever and end in a bloody draw.”

The fundraiser came just days before Mr. Gaetz led the effort to oust Mr. McCarthy from his role as speaker. Eight Republicans voted with House Democrats to remove Mr. McCarthy in a 216-210 vote.

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

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Mr. Rosendale, who was one of the eight, also denounced the impeachment inquiry, comparing it to the charges against the president’s son, Hunter Biden.

Most Republicans support the impeachment of Mr. Biden even though there has been some criticism about whether Rep. James Comer, the chair of the Oversight and Accountability Committee, has enough evidence to prove the president’s involvement in his son’s foreign business dealings.

Mr. Gaetz said he doesn’t mean to speak against Mr. Comer or Rep. Jim Jordan, who is also an impeachment leader, but if the impeachment inquiry was serious, “we would have sent a subpoena to Hunter Biden.”

In a statement, the Congressional Integrity Project said that the group “hate[s] to say we agree with Matt Gaetz, but his comments make it clear that even the most MAGA Republicans know that the impeachment inquiry is completely unserious.”

Mr. Jordan is one of the House members who has announced a run for speaker. Majority Leader Steve Scalise has also announced his bid. The House is expected to vote on it next week.