The Republican Party is in disarray over the ongoing legal troubles of Donald Trump, the individual widely presumed to be their 2024 presidential candidate. On Tuesday, Trump faced his third indictment since March, this time related to his involvement in the January 6th riot.
This recent development has unsettled conservatives, perhaps due to the involvement of seasoned special counsel Jack Smith, known for his experience in tackling war criminals. The assigned judge is also reportedly unfavorable to Trump. The news appears to have deeply affected Rudy Giuliani and Representative Matt Gaetz.
According to The Daily Beast, Gaetz proposed a convoluted plan on Newsmax on Wednesday to disrupt Smith’s case. As a member of the House Judiciary Committee, Gaetz called for Smith to be summoned for an interview with the Committee within 15 days.
Should Smith fail to attend, Gaetz suggests issuing a subpoena, and if ignored, holding Smith in “criminal contempt of the Congress”. Gaetz believes this would mark the first time a prosecutor is managing a case while being under criminal contempt.
Furthermore, Gaetz proposed that if Attorney General Merrick Garland does not enforce the contempt of Congress charge against Smith, he should face impeachment. Gaetz also presented a plan to “functionally immunize” Trump from past and future charges, citing an obscure rule about how Congress can protect someone they’ve subpoenaed.
Trump is due for arraignment for the third time on Thursday in Washington. Gaetz and his allies have a limited timeframe to shield Trump or the former President might finally end up with a mugshot.