Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., told "War Room: Impeachment" live on Newsmax TV on Tuesday that the House impeachment probe was "a setup orchestrated to distract the country from the lies that the Democrats told us about Russia."
"It was a straight-up setup," Gaetz, in his second term, told hosts Steve Bannon and Jason Miller. "The Democrats have failed to meet their own standard.
"The evidence wasn't good," he added. "It wasn't direct evidence."
The House is scheduled to vote Wednesday on the articles of impeachment, obstruction of Congress and abuse of power, against President Donald Trump.
If approved, the articles will be sent to the Senate for adjudication in a trial overseen by U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts. Senators would then vote to acquit or convict, removing Trump from office.
Gaetz also asked Bannon and Miller for advice on how Republicans should approach the Senate action.
Bannon told Gaetz that the "jury" was instead "the American people and a global audience," including America's enemies: Iran, China, North Korea, and Russia.
Bannon, the former White House chief strategist, called for "a detailed trial" with House Republicans like Gaetz "who go after these witnesses.
"An unconditional acquittal is still not as good as exoneration and vindication," Bannon said, because Democrats will try other tactics to remove Trump.
"They're not going to stop the fight until we drive the stake in the heart of it."
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