Trump Impeachment Update: Rep. Gates Drags Hunter Biden For Cocaine Use, Despite Own DUI

Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL), one of president Donald Trump's loudest defenders in the House, dug-up Hunter Biden's history of drug abuse during the impeachment trial Thursday.

Gaetz dragged Biden's name during Thursday' impeachment hearings at the judiciary committee. He lit into the younger Biden when talking about the latter's stint at the Ukrainian energy company, Burisma, which employed Biden as a member of the board and paid him $50,000 a month.

Gaetz sought, unsuccessfully, to insert Hunter Biden’s name into the articles of impeachment, which was seen as the Republicans' move to redirect the investigation of Trump towards Vice President Joe Biden and his son’s employment with Burisma.

“Hunter Biden and Burisma, that’s an interesting story and I think just about every American knows there’s something up with that,” said Gaetz during the trial.

Gaetz said he'd read all about Biden's drug problems in The New Yorker, a magazine Trump has slammed as part of the fake news media. He said it’s a little hard to believe Burisma hired Biden to resolve their international disputes when Biden couldn’t solve his own dispute with Hertz rental over leaving cocaine and a crack pipe in a rental car.

“He called Hertz, which came to collect the damaged car and gave him a second rental. The Hertz rental officer found a crack pipe in the car and a line of white powder residue. Hertz called the Prescott police department and officers filed a narcotics offense report,” Gaetz explained.

Rep. Hank Johnson (D-GA), the next speaker, was having none of Gaetz's rants and, in turn, revealed Gaetz's arrest for DUI (driving under the influence) in Florida in 2008.

“I would say that the pot calling the kettle black is not something that we should do," said Johnson. "I don’t know what members, if any, have had any problems with substance abuse, been busted for DUI, I don’t know, but if I did I wouldn’t raise it against anyone on this committee.”

Gaetz didn't respond to Johnson's attack. Undeterred by Johnson's harangue, Gaetz promptly went back to slamming Biden. He made the incredible argument that without an investigation into Joe and Hunter Biden, the impeachment proceedings are invalid.

No charges were filed against Gaetz over the DUI arrest despite his refusing a breathalyzer test. Under Florida law, this offense would have led to a criminal prosecution. The charges against Gaetz were dropped under mysterious circumstances. The police officer that arrested Gaetz was later forced to resign.

During this time, Don Gaetz, Matt's father, was a member of the Florida State Senate. He also served as Senate president from 2012 to 2014. Matt Gaetz’s arrest and the subsequent dropping of the charges were the subject of a 2014 Tampa Bay Times story.

According to the Tampa Bay Times, "He (Gaetz) didn't have his license suspended for a year when he refused the breath test -- as Florida law dictates. And he didn't have that refusal used against him in a criminal proceeding. Charges against Gaetz were dismissed after events that included, among other things, the forced resignation of the arresting officer."