In a recent discussion on MSNBC, Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) — who is currently running for Senate in his home state of California — condemned Speaker of the House Rep. Mike Johnson (R-La.) over the latter’s recent trip to Donald Trump’s ongoing criminal trial in New York City.
The trial is dealing with allegations against Trump of falsifying business records in connection to hush money for a woman named Stormy Daniels from before the 2016 presidential election. Johnson, in showing up last week, joined a sprawling list of prominent Republicans who have popped up at Trump’s trial, offering their support for the former president in the absence of any particularly large protests on Trump’s behalf outside, though Trump tried clamoring for that kind of thing.
“I was flabbergasted that [Johnson] would go and make that pilgrimage, stand outside that courthouse, and basically lie about what was going on inside the building,” Schiff remarked. “It’s bad enough that he lacks the self-respect that he feels he needs to go and kiss the ring in such a public and debasing way. But also, for him to denigrate the justice system — for him to knowingly make the false claim that this trial was designed to keep Trump off the campaign trail. He knows better than that.”
Another issue with the Republicans who’ve shown up to Trump’s trial is their commentary that, if coming from Trump, might have been in violation of a gag order imposed on the former president, in connection to which he’s already under a threat of imprisonment if he violates it again. Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.) and Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.), both of whom also showed up, have both specifically indicated an ambition of getting around the gag order. If Trump is found to have meaningfully directed such comments made by these people, that could constitute a violation.
