Skip to main content

Congressman Matt Gaetz Slams Democrats in His Opening Statement Prior to Judiciary Committee Impeachment Markup

December 11, 2019

“This is the quickest, weakest, thinnest, most partisan impeachment in American Presidential history.”

Washington, D.C. — Today, in the House Judiciary Committee's opening statements on "Articles of Impeachment Against President Donald J. Trump," U.S. Congressman Matt Gaetz (FL-01) outlined the Democrats' evolution of impeachable offenses, from Russia collusion to bribery.

Rep. Gaetz pointed out that even the Democrats' top witnesses couldn't prove a crime: "Even their seemingly most anti-Trump witness, Lt. Col. Vindman, said ‘I was never involved in anything that I would consider bribery or extortion.'"

In the midst of the impeachment process, House Democrats have forgotten about Americans. "Now with no crime and no victim, House Democrats impeach because they have no agenda for America." Congressman Gaetz said.

The video of Rep. Gaetz speaking at the House Judiciary Committee mark-up on articles of impeachment and a rough transcript can be found below.

CLICK HERE TO WATCH REP. GAETZ'S REMARKS

The referenced media source is missing and needs to be re-embedded.

TRANSCRIPT

"This is the fastest, weakest, thinnest, most partisan, impeachment in American Presidential history.

For all the radical left's accusations against the President's honesty…their lies fuel this incendiary, scorched-earth impeachment strategy.

When a member of this committee said that President Trump was an "agent of the Russian government, engaged in a criminal conspiracy with the Russians"…he lied.

Needing a new way to undermine our President, the Democrats said he "obstructed justice"…but they couldn't make the case, they didn't have the facts, and there are no obstruction of justice articles in this impeachment.

Needing another new distraction, Chairman Schiff announced a whistleblower. He said we'd hear from this person about bad Presidential conduct. Some in the media reported on the whistleblower, raising serious questions about political bias, improper motivation…and scandalous coordination of a political hit job with the operatives of none other than Chairman Adam Schiff.

With public opinion turning against impeachment, Democrats scurried to assemble focus groups and commission polls. They learned that accusing the President of "bribery" would be good politics. While Democrat House members are willing to follow the pundits and consultants…the evidence and witnesses were not.

Even their seemingly most anti-Trump witness, Lt. Col. Vindman, said "I was never involved in anything that I would consider bribery or extortion."

Lo and behold, there are now no bribery allegations in the Articles. Another lie.

But the biggest lie of all was that House Democrats wouldn't put our beautiful nation through a partisan impeachment.

Speaker Pelosi said impeachment must be "compelling and bipartisan."

Chairman Nadler said "impeachment should not be partisan."

Tonight they stubbornly defy the standard they once set…for themselves.

Not only has this weak case failed to convince the President's supporters to abandon him – they can't even convince the President's congressional critics to go along with this sham.

Democrats Jeff Van Drew and Collin Peterson don't support the President. And they don't support this hot garbage impeachment either.

Congressman Will Hurd is a critic of the President. He told you the truth: this isn't impeachable.

After years of pointless and endless investigations against President Trump, this witch hunt is no longer simply troublesome, it has become deeply and excruciatingly tiresome. It's time to move on. The American People hate this….and its making some of them hate us.

This is nothing more than the sloppy, straight-to-dvd Ukrainian sequel to the failed Russia Hoax. If it seems like you've seen this movie before, it's because you have.

And we all know how the cycle goes. Last night's promised "smoking gun" is today's disappointing "nothing-burger."

It's like democrats forgot that they're impeaching President Trump for delivering military aid that President Obama withheld.

Now with no crime and no victim, House Democrats impeach because they have no agenda for you.

Impeachment has become reflexive for Democrats. It's what they've wanted all along. Impeachment is their passion, their drug, their all-consuming ambition and obsession. It has been since the moment they stopped crying at Hillary Clinton's election night sob-fest.

They say President Trump abused his power…a sad placeholder for an actual impeachable offense.

President Trump's true crime in their eyes was winning the 2016 election, against all odds — and against the establishment of both parties.

The only relevant QPQ is the American People's decision to send President Trump to the White House, in exchange for Trump's commitment to support our workers, restore our economy, defend our troops, and drain the swamp.

How dare they accuse President Trump of abusing his power when they have released the phone records of journalists and congressmen, contrived a kangaroo court, and subjected this Administration to more harassment than any other in American History. They are the sorest of sore losers.

The second article accuses President Trump of obstructing…Congress?

If *obstruction* in Congress is an impeachable offense……maybe we best impeach ourselves.

For it is this fact-free impeachment that has obstructed progress on a budget…on border security…on an infrastructure plan…and on economic reforms to put America first.

The American People know what this is really about. It's not Ukraine. It's not Russia. It's not House Democrats' nosiness into executive decision-making.

It is about the election. They've seen enough of their candidates to know that none can win. Even Michael Bloomberg said Trump is getting "stronger by the day" and will "eat alive" the current field.

Their problem isn't only with President Trump. They look down on those of us who voted for him. We know it. You know it. And they know it.

But we face this illegitimate impeachment with our heads high, our facts straight and our commitment to our unyielding president deeply intensified."

###

Issues:Judiciary