Democrat rips Johnson over Trump trial ‘stunt’ on House floor: ‘It is pathetic’

Rep. Jim McGovern (D-Mass.) spoke with House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-Louisiana) on the House floor Wednesday after Mr. Johnson appeared at former President Trump’s criminal hush money trial in Manhattan. harshly criticized.

“Look at the cover of today’s New York Times, Mr. Speaker. This is unbelievable. This is the second in line to the presidency, the Speaker of the House, standing in front of a courthouse, trying to obstruct a criminal trial as a prop of Donald Trump. “Republicans seem to like law and order, unless that applies to them,” McGovern said.

He went on to tell other House members on the floor that the “stunt” Johnson and several other Republicans pulled in support of Trump in New York were “degrading this House.” .

“Their presidential candidates have been indicted more times than they have been elected,” McGovern said. Comment highlighted by Mediaite.

The Massachusetts lawmaker was interrupted and asked, in accordance with House rules, to “refrain from personal engagement with any person suspected of being a presidential candidate.”

Mr McGovern said he did not believe he had broken any rules and said Republicans “have the guts” to complain about the criminal justice system.

“Give them a break. Their credibility on this issue has evaporated. It’s pathetic,” he said.

McGovern continued his speech, saying the American people “deserve” more than the Speaker of the House of Representatives spending his time trying to influence New York’s court system. There are “real issues that we need to address” but Mr Johnson said he was “spending his time justifying all the crimes of the former president”.

Johnson, along with other Republican allies such as Sens. J.D. Vance (R-Ohio) and Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.), and Vivek Ramaswamy, spoke to Trump on Tuesday. Attended court for Mr. In his remarks outside court, Mr. Johnson denounced the case against Mr. Trump as “election interference” and said prosecutors were trying to keep the former president out of the election trial.

The chairman said Trump was innocent and a “friend.”