Reps. Justin Amash and Matt Gaetz got into a Twitter spat over Trump's impeachment, and it was as if they were talking past each other

Lauren FriasJan 23, 2020, 09:53 IST

Rep. Justin Amash of Michigan and Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida engaged in a public spat on Twitter over President Donald Trump's impeachment.
Amash, who was formerly a Republican before leaving the GOP to become an independent, was the first and sole Republican who openly supported Trump's impeachment.
Gaetz, on the other hand, has been a loyal ally to the president and even orchestrated a stunt to storm a secure congressional facility during a closed-door impeachment hearing.
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Independent Rep. Justin Amash of Michigan and GOP Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida engaged in a Twitter spat over the impeachment of President Donald Trump.

The tense tweet exchange started off with Amash writing, "Republican senators can evade responsibility, but they cannot escape the judgment of history."

"History will be busy wondering why we impeached a President without a crime or a victim," Gaetz replied, to which Amash identified the "high crime is using his public office to solicit the aid of a foreign government for personal gain," and the victim is "society itself."

Gaetz shot back at Amash with a contradictory retort that seemed to agree with Amash identifying the crime and victim, writing, "My friend, 'society itself' is the victim of this absurd impeachment, not the actions of the President."

Amash was formerly a Republican before leaving the GOP to become independent in July of last year. Prior to leaving, he was the first and sole House Republican calling for Trump's impeachment. He voted in favor of impeachment as an independent in December.

Gaetz has been a loyal ally to the president since the start of the impeachment, when he led more than 30 Republicans to storm a secure congressional facility during a closed-door impeachment hearing at the end of October last year. The stunt was labeled "thuggish" and "offensive" by intel veterans. Some House Republicans carried electronic devices into the room which could have compromised national security.

Their Twitter skirmish happened during arguments in the impeachment trial. Tuesday's opening of the trial focused on procedure, and arguments began in earnest on Wednesday with House managers - who act as prosecutors - presenting their argument in favor of convicting the president.

On Twitter the two appeared to be talking past each other, echoing the deepening divide between those who favor impeachment verses Trump allies in Congress. It also shows how the talking points on both sides are shaping up as the impeachment process enters a new phase.

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Reps. Justin Amash and Matt Gaetz got into a Twitter spat over Trump's impeachment, and it was as if they were talking past each other