Matt Gaetz Outlines Bold Plan That Would Give Trump Immunity from Jack Smith's Cases Against Him
Republican Matt Gaetz has put forth a bold plan that could blunt the Democratic harassment of former President Donald Trump and expose some of the left’s worst abuses all at the same time.
On Tuesday, the Florida congressman challenged his caucus to take action to stymie the constant indictments against Trump, which are little more than election meddling thinly disguised as “justice.”
Gaetz wants to call special counsel Jack Smith to account for his actions and to offer Trump immunity by having him testify before Congress as a whistleblower.
“I’m worried that too many of my Republican colleagues in Congress are infected with the same loser mentality that infected Congress in the early days of the Mueller investigation,” Gaetz wrote on X (formerly known as Twitter).
“This isn’t complicated. If House Republicans take action, Jack Smith could be the first prosecutor to bring a case while under criminal contempt himself. [Attorney General] Merrick Garland could be subject to impeachment if he refuses to enforce that criminal contempt,” he said.
“Speaker [Kevin] McCarthy could set up a Select Committee tomorrow, bring President Trump in for testimony, and grant him immunity,” Gaetz concluded.
The congressman fleshed out his plan during an appearance on “The Charlie Kirk Show.”
I’m worried that too many of my Republican colleagues in Congress are infected with the same loser mentality that infected Congress in the early days of the Mueller investigation.
This isn’t complicated. If House Republicans take action, Jack Smith could be the first prosecutor… pic.twitter.com/DlRrkn78mK
— Rep. Matt Gaetz (@RepMattGaetz) August 8, 2023
“Here’s what we ought to do, and we shouldn’t make it that complicated,” Gaetz told Kirk. “First, we should tell Jack Smith that he has to show up and give a transcribed interview to the House Judiciary Committee in the next 15 days.
“If he doesn’t do that, we should issue a subpoena. If he ignores the subpoena, we should hold him in criminal contempt of Congress. … And if Merrick Garland won’t enforce that criminal contempt, then he subjects himself to an impeachment.”
“Simultaneous to that, you can actually bring Trump in to give testimony to the Congress and in doing so immunize him,” Gaetz said. “You have to think about it almost like whistleblower protections — Trump, the ultimate whistleblower, potentially the beneficiary of congressional immunity.”
Gaetz grounded his proposal in federal law, saying that the House has the power to do what he is suggesting under 18 U.S. Codes 6002 and 6005.
The Republican said his plan is “never something you typically think of as a first step, but in this case, I think we misunderstand the fight that we are in. Right now you have the Department of Justice functioning as the enforcement wing of the Democratic Party.”
“I think that if Congress just accepts this premise that it’s an ongoing matter and thus we shouldn’t be involved, then you underscore the legitimacy of that very matter,” Gaetz warned.
Gaetz also acknowledged that he is in “the minority of the majority” on this matter.
“Most Republicans in Congress just think we ought to throw our hands in the air and allow the chips to fall where they may. I think that is a tremendous disservice to the Constitution when we are facing an election interference operation, not a legitimate prosecution.”
For his part, Kirk was intrigued by the proposal.
“Congressman [Matt Gaetz] has a BOLD plan he believes could immunize Donald Trump from Jack Smith’s politically weaponized crusade: Bring Trump in to testify before the House as a whistleblower, thereby triggering certain preexisting immunity protections,” he wrote on X.
“Will it work? No idea,” Kirk said. “But we must reject the premise that the DOJ’s political persecution of Donald Trump is somehow legitimate. All options should be on the table.”
It is hard to say just how effective Gaetz’s plan would be. But he is right that Congress is making no effort to keep these biased, corrupt prosecutors in line.
The left is playing hardball and using every lever of government — legitimate or not — to destroy Donald Trump, who clearly has the support of a large majority of Republican voters. Meanwhile, Republicans are sitting idly by and letting it all happen.
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