Gaetz Offers To Resign If Needed To Join Trump’s Defense In 2nd Impeachment; Former President To Snub ‘Unconstitutional’ Trial
Rep. Matt Gaetz has offered to represent former President Donald Trump in his second impeachment trial, and said he is willing to resign from his seat as Florida representative if required so he can join the defense team of the former Republican president.
“I only regret that I have but one political career to give to my president,” Gaetz, who represents Florida’s first district said.
Gaetz told Fox News that he hasn’t been asked to join Trump’s legal team but that he already earlier offered to represent the former President through Ohio Rep. Jim Jordan and former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows “weeks ago.”
“When ethics advised that sitting House members couldn’t do it, the conversations ceased,” he added, noting that if the former President asks him, he would gladly join his defense team.
The Republican lawmaker also said he is willing to step down from his seat in the House of Representatives to represent Trump if needed.
“If the law requires it, yes,” Gaetz responded when asked whether he would resign if ever.
During an appearance on Steve Bannon’s “War Room Pandemic” podcast, Gaetz, a fervent supporter of the former President, said “cancellation of the Trump presidency and the Trump movement [is] one of the biggest threats” to his district.
“If the president called me and wanted me to go defend him on the floor of the Senate, that would be the top priority in my life,” Gaetz said.
“I would leave my House seat, I would leave my home,” he added.
Gaetz continued: “I view this cancellation of the Trump presidency and the Trump movement as one of the biggest threats. I’m here to win, to win so much I get tired of it because that’s what was promised.”
Gaetz is among the prominent GOP lawmakers that have started targeting other Republicans in Congress for supporting the impeachment against former President Trump.
The Florida lawmaker, for example, called out Wyoming Rep. Liz Cheney for being “disloyal” due to her pro-impeachment vote. He also told Wyoming voters in a recent visit to ensure that Cheney is defeated in 2022.
Democrats have launched a second impeachment against the former President on allegations of “inciting an insurrection” through his social media posts related to the January 6 chaos in Capitol Hill.
The Senate impeachment trial is scheduled to begin February 9 although Democrats face an uphill to convict the former president as 45 out of 50 Senate Republicans already voted earlier to dismiss the trial. Democrats would need at least 17 Republican senators to side with them on the impeachment.
The Democrat-controlled House voted January 13 to impeach the former Republican president 232 to 197, with 10 Republicans joining the Democrats who all voted against Trump.
Meanwhile, the team of former President Trump already said that he will not testify in what they call an “unconstitutional” Senate impeachment trial.
