'Is that a threat?' Witnesses go at each other during Matt Gaetz's questions
During Wednesday's impeachment hearing, Rep. Matt Gaetz's (R-FL) was momentarily forced to play referee.
It was his turn to ask questions in the House Oversight and Judiciary Committee's impeachment hearing on Capitol Hill as part of Republicans' ongoing investigation of President Joe Biden and his family.
But he was interrupted by a volley of trash talk between the Republican witness and former Hunter Biden business associate Tony Bobulinski and convicted onetime Rudy Giuliani associate Lev Parnas.
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"So, I guess Mr. Bobulinski, as you hear, Maxwell Frost, my colleague on the Democrat side say that Mr. Parnas fresh off of his prison time is the most credible witness we've had to address these business dealings what's your reaction to that?
Bobulinski responded, "I think it's laughable that the Democrats are asking Lev Parnas to weigh in on my credibility," he said.
He then cut into Parnas as a convicted felon while he has "an impeccable record."
Parnas did serve time in federal prison after being found guilty in 2021 on campaign finance and false statements offenses. (he pleaded guilty to participating in a wire fraud conspiracy).
Bobulinski suggested that Parnas appeared to threaten him.
"Now, he warned me earlier in this hearing that 'they're coming for me' --"
Parnas cut in, "Keep lying, you'll be there soon."
Then Bobulinski asked: "Well, is that a threat Mr. Parnas?"
"No, it's just the truth... I said 'If you keep lying you will end up in prison."
Bobolinski then shot back. "I'm not lying, you're the one who was lying. You're the one who went to prison."
"What am I lying," asked Parnas.
Bobulinski sarcastically retorted: "The list is long we don't have enough time."
And Parnas appeared to vent at Rep. Gates.
"I think you're a little scared like Mr. Gates, I think you're a little scared just like Mr. Gates because Mr. Gates doesn't even ask a question," said Parnas. "I've been here for six hours and not one of your committee members had asked me one question. You want to hear the truth?"
"I asked a question about your illegal business dealings," Gaetz scolded Parnas before ignoring him. "Mr. Bobulinski fraud is a crime, right?"
He answered: "Correct. Fraud is a crime."
Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer publicly invited Bobulinski and also another Hunter associate Jason Galanis to appear alongside Hunter Biden and as well as another witness, Devon Archer."
Both Hunter Biden and Archer didn't appear.