‘Badgering the Witness!’ Merrick Garland Hearing Plunges Into Chaos After Matt Gaetz Goes OFF on Biden and China

Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) hammered Attorney General Merrick Garland after over questions regarding President Joe Biden’s relations with China, plunging the Judiciary Committee Hearing into chaos.

Garland appeared on Capitol Hill on Wednesday to answer lawmakers’ questions regarding a number of issues, including Hunter Biden case, and the prosecution of former President Donald Trump.

Trump faces four different criminal indictments for his alleged attempts to over the elections, his handling of classified documents, and payments made to Stormy Daniels. The younger Biden faces gun related felony charges and potentially tax crime related charges.

Gaetz, a long-standing Trump ally, accused the attorney general of ending the China Initiative on behalf of Biden, whom the lawmaker accused of taking bribes from the Chinese Communist Party.

“Are you saying that North Korea has the same malign influence risk to the United States as the Chinese Communist Party,” Gaetz asked Garland. Because here’s what it looks like. It looks like the Chinese gave all this money to the Bidens and then you guys came in and got rid of the China initiative and it was successful. I saw one rationale that you guys got rid of the China initiative because it was racial profiling.”

When Garland attempted to answer the question, Gaetz shifted gears to another topic.

GARLAND: There are a lot of questions that you just asked. Let me start with the first one about North Korea. North Korea is a dangerous actor, both kinetically and with respect to cyber.
GAETZ: But not on par with China. Okay, it’s unserious to suggest-
GARLAND: May I answer your question or-
GAETZ: Answer the question about whether or not you know about all the millions of dollars-
GARLAND: You don’t want me to answer about North Korea.
GAETz: I already know the answer, and so does everyone. They’re not the same risk as China. So let’s get on to serious questions and serious answers. Do you know about the money that moved through Rob Walker’ shell companies, yes or no?
GARLAND: As I have said repeatedly, I have left these matters to Mr. Weiss. I have not intruded. I have not interfered.

…

GAETZ: I got to get to this one thing on January. So did the FBI lose count of the number of paid informants on January six?
GARLAND: Let me answer your question about China.
GAETZ: No, I want you to answer this question. I only get 5 minutes. You’ve already sort of I think screwed the pooch on China. On January 6th, did you lose count of the number of federal assets? Did you lose count and order an audit?

Garland then refused to answer the January 6th question from Gaetz and instead tried to answer the previous question on China, noting it was the “dangerous adversary” the U.S. faces. The committee then plunged into a shouting match between lawmakers over whether Garland answered the question with some accusing Gaetz of “badgering the witness.”

Watch the full interaction above via Fox News.