Republican Mocks Zelensky's Speech: 'At Least We Found a Flag They Were Willing to Stand For'
Gaetz calls Ukrainian war effort a "grift"
A prominent Republican congressman who has been under investigation for sex crimes has come out to criticize Ukrainian President Volodomyr Zelensky's speech this week before Congress, which elsewhere has been described as “electric.”
Zelensky appeared before a joint meeting of Congress Wednesday evening to cap off a whirlwind day in Washington DC, the first time he's left Ukraine since the full, unlawful incursion into his country by Russian forces began in February.
But a cadre of far-right Republicans, including Rep Matt Gaetz (R-Fla), continue to oppose the Biden administration's backing for Ukraine's defense.
“Now, when President Trump said that America would never be a socialist country, you saw Democrats sit on their hands. But when we say, you shouldn’t send endless amounts of money to this place where we’re exacerbating death and conflict, it’s like we’re traitors to the movement because [Republican Rep] Lauren [Boebert] and I didn’t stand up in some sort of North Korea-style performance,” Gaetz, who has been under federal investigation for sex trafficking and other alleged crimes related to sex with minors, said in an on-camera appearance on the program of far-right Fox News host Tucker Carlson “It makes you wonder, what was all this for? I think that [Senate Republican Leader] Mitch McConnell and [House Speaker] Nancy Pelosi wanted to bring Zelensky there to the Congress to provide air cover for an otherwise totally indefensible spending bill.”
Gaetz added, “At least we found a flag we were willing to stand for. That was a revealing moment,” referring to the moment when Pelosi and Vice President Kamala Harris unfurled a Ukrainian flag behind Zelensky Wednesday night.
Lawmakers are wrapping up work on a must-pass, $1.7 trillion spending package to keep the federal government open and funded.
The legislation has broad bipartisan support except from the far-right wing of the Republican Party.
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