Since the impeachment inquiry began in earnest, the GOP has been on the attack against the Ukraine. Some lawmakers, like John Kennedy, have even hinted that it may have been the Ukraine rather than Russia that meddled in the 2016 Presidential election.
In an effort to protect the President, his sometime lawyer Rudy Giuliani visited the Ukraine last week in an effort to uncover corruption. The move drew surprise from many in the party, even from Matt Gaetz, one of Trump’s staunchest defenders. The Florida lawmaker said multiple times last week that the trip was “weird.”
Gaetz first brought up the former New York City Mayor’s trip while appearing on CNN last Thursday. He told host Chris Cuomo it was “weird”, but Giuliani should the benefit of the doubt. He continued, “I think it probably would be helpful if Rudy clarified the role that he was playing in these different circumstances.”
While appearing on ABC’s This Week on Sunday, the Florida lawmaker made similar comments.
“It’s weird that he’s over there,” said Gaetz. ““I am grateful that very soon after I made those comments on CNN, 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. 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.”
The President has been supportive of Giuliani’s trip and urged him to share his findings with Congress and William Barr.