Trump’s GOP support one day after his NY indictment shows
how his loyal sycophants joined hands to support him in their outrage as CNN reports with this headline:
“Republican leaders and Trump loyalists on Capitol Hill rally behind
the former president after indictment”
Key House Republican leaders lined up to defend Trump following the
news that Trump has been indicted by a Manhattan
grand jury – a sign of the
powerful grasp Trump still has on his party on Capitol Hill.
Responses
from key congressional Republicans came as the indictment against Trump
was filed under seal and will be announced in the coming days with some 30
counts against him. The charges are not publicly known at this time one source
told CNN – examples:
1. House Speaker
Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) tweeted as he criticized Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg: “The American people will not
tolerate this injustice. The House of Representatives will hold Alvin Bragg and
his unprecedented abuse of power to account.”
2. GOP Majority
Leader Steve Scalise (R-LA) in his tweet called it “outrageous” and said: “The indictment is one of the clearest examples of
extremist Democrats weaponizing government to attack their political
opponents.”
3. Rep. Elise
Stefanik (R-NY), the House GOP conference chair, released a statement saying:
“The indictment was a political witch hunt and a dark day for America.”
Notable, however, is that the top two Senate Republicans have so far remained silent in the wake of news of the indictment – that is from Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) and GOP Minority Whip John Thune (R-SD).
Their silence underscores the divide within the Republican Party
over Trump. McConnell and Thune have made no secret about their desire to move
past Trump, while McCarthy has credited Trump for helping him win the
speakership.
Trump called key allies on
Capitol Hill to shore up support in the wake of his indictment, including
members of House GOP leadership and lawmakers who serve on the committees that
are trying to investigate the Manhattan district’s attorney office, according
to a senior GOP source familiar with the conversations. In the phone calls,
which the source described as “check-ins,” Trump told allies he plans to fight
the charges and continued to rail against the indictment and DA Bragg.
The news of the indictment broke just hours after lawmakers
on Capitol Hill departed for a two-week Easter recess. The halls of the Capitol
were quiet. However, on social media, Republicans were much louder, and it took
only a matter of minutes after news of the indictment broke before some of Trump’s
fiercest defenders on Capitol Hill rushed to his defense – for example:
1. Judiciary Chairman
Jim Jordan (R-OH) tweeted: “Outrageous.”
2. Rep. Lauren Boebert
(R-CO) tweeted: “BREAKING: Trump has been indicted! This is another political
witch hunt targeting the people’s President.”
3. Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL)
tweeted: “President Donald Trump always fought for us. He puts the American
people above corrupt interests. For that reason alone, the powerful will never
stop coming for him.”
4. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA), a key Trump ally who is also close to House GOP leadership, tweeted that she: “Plans on traveling to NYC to protest Trump’s indictment.”
Greene BTW serves on the House Oversight Committee, one of the key
committees trying to investigate DA Bragg and his office. She told CNN that she
regularly keeps Trump up to date on their investigative priorities.
5. Rep. Andrew Clyde
(R-GA) tweeted: “They’re terrified that they can’t
legitimately beat Trump. So they’re desperately trying to abuse and misapply
the law … again. This is a dark moment in American history — but we won’t let
them get away with it.”
6. Rep. Andy Harris
(R-MD) said: “Vladimir Putin has nothing on Alvin Bragg.”
7. Rep. Mike Rogers
(R-AL) said: “This is nothing more than a fraught attempt by the far left
to weaponize the American justice system & do Joe Biden’s political dirty
work in the courtroom. DA Bragg should stop making a mockery of the
Constitution and resign immediately.”
FYI: The LA Times reached out to nearly a dozen Republicans on the Judiciary and
Oversight committees. Most offices didn't respond to a request for comment.
Note: McCarthy previously said he doesn’t think people should
protest an indictment, but Greene, now an ally to McCarthy, struck a different
tone, arguing its people’s right to peacefully organize.
Meanwhile, a handful
of senators were quick to jump in as well to criticize the Manhattan DA:
Sen. Thom Tillis
(R-SD) said in a statement: “This indictment doesn’t pass the smell test. The
DOJ already looked into the facts and decided there was no case to be made
against President Trump. This is the same DA who is notorious for letting
violent criminals off the hook in Manhattan, but has been laser focused on
pursuing a politicized prosecution of a former President.”
However, moderate Rep.
Don Bacon (R-NE) held back from immediately assailing DA Bragg or the
indictment, a marked departure from many of his colleagues, telling CNN: “I
trust the system. We have a judge. We have jurors. There is appeals. So I think
in the end, justice will be done. If he’s guilty it will show up. But if not, I
think that will be shown too.”
Noteworthy Even before an indictment, three Republican chairmen
including Jordan, Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer (R-KY), and House
Administration Committee Chairman Bryan Steil (R-WI) reacted (all three pictured above).
They sent a letter requesting testimony from Bragg, and demanding information
related to his overall investigation.
Bragg’s office pushed back
on their letter, but the same Republicans doubled down and sent another harsher letter demanding the sameinformation. What the Republicans are demanding is 100% unlawful and won’t
stand a chance in any court.
FYI: I earlier posted about their letter with two updates here.
CNN says that this story has been updated.
My 2 Cents: It’s amazing how the GOP harps about law and order and
justice. But, now with Trump in deep trouble they suddenly turn on our very
legal system to support him even as these charges are still pending: (1) his 2020
election interference in GA; (2) the January 6 insurrection and his role; and
(3) Trump illegally keeping hundreds of the most-highly classified documents (e.g.,
Top Secret/SCI) at Mar-a-Lago while trying to cover it up with various stunts
and lies even from his own legal team.
Yet through all that, this
“new” GOP still sticks by Trump, a proven serial liar and now as an indicted person
as well and stated above.
We have to seriously wonder
why.
Added: Trump started a new fund raising scam on the same day as the
indictment was announced via Facebook asking for $47.00 (or more) to help him
fight this and to win in 2024 reported on by CNBC.
Thanks for stopping by.
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