Nearly a dozen House Republicans flocked to former President Trump’s criminal trial in New York City on Thursday, the largest attendance yet by GOP lawmakers.
Why it matters: The trial is rapidly becoming the essential Trump loyalty test for Republican members of Congress to the point where it appears to have actively interfered with official business.Several of the Republicans sit on the House Oversight Committee, which rescheduled a planned markup from 11am on Thursday to 8pm.
State of play: Among the attendees on Thursday were Reps. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.), Andy Biggs (R-Ariz.) and House Freedom Caucus Chair Bob Good (R-Va.)
Republicans took to the cameras after the hearing to slam the proceedings, with Gaetz blasting the judge in the case and the prosecution’s star witness Michael Cohen, Trump’s former fixer.
Gaetz called Trump’s hush money-related charges “a made-up crime.”
The former president faces 34 counts of falsifying business records.
What we’re hearing: One House Republican told Axios their colleagues “genuinely think this is a farce” but acknowledged they also “want to curry favor with Trump.”
Many attendees are likely trying to preserve their political standing back home or position for a posting in the second Trump administration, the lawmaker said.
A second GOP member referred to the trial as “The Apprentice 2024,” with another, moderate GOP lawmaker quipping, “Better them than me.”
One source pointed to both Good and his primary opponent John McGuire making an appearance on Thursday as an example of politicians seeing it as an opportunity to gain favor with the former president as they battle for their seats.
Zoom out: These were not the first prominent Republicans to make the trek up to New York to show their loyalty for Trump.
Most notably, House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) went on Tuesday, saying Trump “is a friend and I wanted to be here to support him.”
The old adage. When they say good things, they are geniuses (or patriots). When they say bad things, they are stupid (or hate America). What I like is how Payne incorporated the WH. It must be a set-up or conspiracy, because a man who cheated on his second wife with someone who did porn would never cheat on his third wife with someone who did porn.
Melinda Hennenberger op-ed piece about GOP CongressCritters who appeared in the courtroom of the former President Trump NYC trial last week, from today’s KCStar / McClatchy (bold text mine):
… Trump’s red-tie brigade has proven me wrong about that. And for his defenders, of course, the former president is the victim.
What I can’t accept about their pilgrimage to New York, though, is the suggestion that whatever Donald Trump has done, he has done for America.
“I wanted to show moral support to a guy that deserves it,” Burlison told The Star. “I mean, look, a lot of people who have my same political view, a lot of conservatives see him as their fighter. He’s the one taking the punches for us.”
So it was for America’s sake that he had sex with someone other than the woman who was home nursing his newborn son? And then, two weeks before the 2016 election, paid her to stay quiet because he’s a fighter for us? Whether or not he’s found guilty of breaking campaign laws, that’s just ridiculous.
This isn’t the politically motivated “lawfare” that Schmitt describes, but the legal system on its best behavior, with the judge having tolerated behavior from this defendant that would have landed anyone else in Rikers.
Trump supporters love to propagate the “Orange Man Bad!” meme, but they never bother to refute it.
Trump is a malignant narcissist wo never does anything except to line his own pockets or inflate his own ego. He demands unquestioning loyalty from his subordinates, yet doesn’t hesitate a moment to throw them to the wolves when there’s a chance that their actions (committed for his own benefit) are called into question. And, he’s unaccountable orange.
He’s clearly among the worst possible choices for granting executive power, yet they continue to support him. It’s unfathomable…
IndyW 30 days ago
De Niro, just an actor, who cares what he has to say.
Radish the wordsmith 30 days ago
I’m going with DeNiro, New Yorkers know what and who Trump is, the jury will have no problem finding Trump guilty.
Ontman 30 days ago
More people listen to De Niro than people even know Payne exists.
lsnrchrd.1 Premium Member 30 days ago
Copied at Axios web site:
Nearly a dozen House Republicans flocked to former President Trump’s criminal trial in New York City on Thursday, the largest attendance yet by GOP lawmakers.
Why it matters: The trial is rapidly becoming the essential Trump loyalty test for Republican members of Congress to the point where it appears to have actively interfered with official business.Several of the Republicans sit on the House Oversight Committee, which rescheduled a planned markup from 11am on Thursday to 8pm.
State of play: Among the attendees on Thursday were Reps. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.), Andy Biggs (R-Ariz.) and House Freedom Caucus Chair Bob Good (R-Va.)
Republicans took to the cameras after the hearing to slam the proceedings, with Gaetz blasting the judge in the case and the prosecution’s star witness Michael Cohen, Trump’s former fixer.
Gaetz called Trump’s hush money-related charges “a made-up crime.”
The former president faces 34 counts of falsifying business records.
What we’re hearing: One House Republican told Axios their colleagues “genuinely think this is a farce” but acknowledged they also “want to curry favor with Trump.”
Many attendees are likely trying to preserve their political standing back home or position for a posting in the second Trump administration, the lawmaker said.
A second GOP member referred to the trial as “The Apprentice 2024,” with another, moderate GOP lawmaker quipping, “Better them than me.”
One source pointed to both Good and his primary opponent John McGuire making an appearance on Thursday as an example of politicians seeing it as an opportunity to gain favor with the former president as they battle for their seats.
Zoom out: These were not the first prominent Republicans to make the trek up to New York to show their loyalty for Trump.
Most notably, House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) went on Tuesday, saying Trump “is a friend and I wanted to be here to support him.”
piper_gilbert 30 days ago
I like DeNiro way more than Trump. Most people do. The MAGA Morons are the ones that would disagree. Are you a MAGA Moron?
rmike7842 30 days ago
The old adage. When they say good things, they are geniuses (or patriots). When they say bad things, they are stupid (or hate America). What I like is how Payne incorporated the WH. It must be a set-up or conspiracy, because a man who cheated on his second wife with someone who did porn would never cheat on his third wife with someone who did porn.
SteveO202 30 days ago
IndyW. Who cares what you have to say?
DC Swamp 30 days ago
De Niro & cadaver Joe…..well past their sell by dates.
lsnrchrd.1 Premium Member 30 days ago
Melinda Hennenberger op-ed piece about GOP CongressCritters who appeared in the courtroom of the former President Trump NYC trial last week, from today’s KCStar / McClatchy (bold text mine):
… Trump’s red-tie brigade has proven me wrong about that. And for his defenders, of course, the former president is the victim.
What I can’t accept about their pilgrimage to New York, though, is the suggestion that whatever Donald Trump has done, he has done for America.
“I wanted to show moral support to a guy that deserves it,” Burlison told The Star. “I mean, look, a lot of people who have my same political view, a lot of conservatives see him as their fighter. He’s the one taking the punches for us.”
So it was for America’s sake that he had sex with someone other than the woman who was home nursing his newborn son? And then, two weeks before the 2016 election, paid her to stay quiet because he’s a fighter for us? Whether or not he’s found guilty of breaking campaign laws, that’s just ridiculous.
This isn’t the politically motivated “lawfare” that Schmitt describes, but the legal system on its best behavior, with the judge having tolerated behavior from this defendant that would have landed anyone else in Rikers.
Patjade 30 days ago
#JustPayneStupid
Al Fresco 30 days ago
De Niro. Is he the wise guy who placed the decapitated horse’s head in Judge Merchan’s bed?
My First Premium Member 30 days ago
If little Stormy DeNiro knew how he was being mocked unmercifully, he’d be like a bull in a China shop for sure.
Patjade 30 days ago
This just in: The Fraudfather has been found guilty in all 34 counts.
boniface22 29 days ago
Payne scraping the bottom of his ideas barrel yet again.
fritzoid Premium Member 29 days ago
Trump supporters love to propagate the “Orange Man Bad!” meme, but they never bother to refute it.
Trump is a malignant narcissist wo never does anything except to line his own pockets or inflate his own ego. He demands unquestioning loyalty from his subordinates, yet doesn’t hesitate a moment to throw them to the wolves when there’s a chance that their actions (committed for his own benefit) are called into question. And, he’s unaccountable orange.
He’s clearly among the worst possible choices for granting executive power, yet they continue to support him. It’s unfathomable…
jader3rd 29 days ago
The Orange man is bad.