Before the charges against Donald Trump were even public, House Republicans were busy lying to the American people about their severity. It has been reported that Trump is directing the House GOP behind the scenes — no wonder their number one priority is protecting him and his insurrectionist followers from accountability for their crimes.
The House GOP has used their investigative powers to launch anti-democratic attacks on law enforcement, from DA Alvin Bragg, to Capitol Police, to the Border Patrol. They have lost all credibility when it comes to “law and order.”
House Republican Leadership Downplayed And Minimized The Trump Indictment Before Knowing The Details
HEADLINE: “Hill Republicans Sprint To Trump’s Corner Before Indictment Details Are Clear” [Politico, 3/30/23]
HOUSE MAJORITY LEADER STEVE SCALISE CALLED THE TRUMP INDICTMENT A “SHAM”
House Majority Leader Steve Scalise Called The Indictment Of Former President Trump A “Sham.” House Majority Leader Steve Scalise tweeted: “The sham New York indictment of President Donald Trump is one of the clearest examples of extremist Democrats weaponizing government to attack their political opponents. Outrageous.” [Twitter, Steve Scalise, 3/30/23]
HOUSE SPEAKER KEVIN MCCARTHY CALLED THE TRUMP INDICTMENT AN “INJUSTICE” AND “UNPRECEDENTED ABUSE OF POWER”
In Response To Former President Trump Being Indicted, House Speaker Kevin McCarthy Accused New York District Attorney Alvin Bragg Of Trying To Interfere In A Presidential Election, Called It An “Injustice” And An “Unprecedented Abuse Of Power.” House Speaker Kevin McCarthy tweeted: “Alvin Bragg has irreparably damaged our country in an attempt to interfere in our Presidential election. As he routinely frees violent criminals to terrorize the public, he weaponized our sacred system of justice against President Donald Trump. The American people will not tolerate this injustice, and the House of Representatives will hold Alvin Bragg and his unprecedented abuse of power to account.” [Twitter, Kevin McCarthy, 3/30/23]
REP. JAMES COMER CALLED THE TRUMP INDICTMENT A “POLITICAL STUNT” AND “POLITICAL WITCH HUNT”
Rep. James Comer On The Trump Indictment: “I’ve Said From Day One This Is A Political Stunt.” REP. JAMES COMER: “I’ve said from day one this is a political stunt. If this were the first case against Donald Trump, if this were the first time anyone had gone after Donald Trump, it might be different. […] It makes no sense, and it’s another example of why the American people have lost confidence in our judicial system.” [Fox News, Fox & Friends, 3/31/23] (video)
Rep. James Comer Said The Indictment Of Former President Trump Was A “Political Witch Hunt.” REP. JAMES COMER: “Well, one thing that we’re concerned about in Washington, Congressman Jordan and myself is that there’s coordination being conducted here between Merrick Garland’s DOJ and all these different entities that are going after Donald Trump. This is a political witch hunt, they’re doing everything in their ability to create a narrative that would hurt Donald Trump.” [Fox News, Fox & Friends, 3/31/23] (video)
REP. JIM JORDAN CALLED THE TRUMP INDICTMENT “RIDICULOUS” AND “OUTRAGEOUS”
Rep. Jim Jordan Said The Indictment Of Former President Trump Was “Ridiculous.” FOX BUSINESS’ MARIA BARTIROMO: “What is your reaction to this Alvin Bragg indictment of President Trump?” REP. JIM JORDAN: “Well, overall it’s ridiculous. I mean, first of all, Mr. Bragg has conceded that he used federal funds, we know that this grew out of the federal special counsel investigation, which is a federal statute, and, most importantly, involves a federal election. Here we are, as you indicated we’re four months away from the first debate in the primaries for the election to the most important office that we have, president of the United States. It is ridiculous.” [Fox News, Sunday Morning Futures, 4/2/23] (video)
- Jim Jordan Said The Indictment Of Former President Trump Was “Outrageous.” “Representative Jim Jordan of Ohio, the chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, took the extraordinary step last week to involve Congress in an open investigation by sending a letter, along with two other House Republican chairmen, demanding that Mr. Bragg provide communications, documents and testimony about his investigation. After the indictment was announced, Mr. Jordan tweeted one word in response to the news: ‘Outrageous.’” [New York Times, 3/30/23]
REP. ELISE STEFANIK CALLED THE TRUMP INDICTMENT A “SHAM POLITICAL WITCH HUNT”
Rep. Elise Stefanik Called The Indictment Of Former President Trump A “Sham Political Witch Hunt.” Elise Stefanik tweeted: “A dark day for America. I’m taking a stand for the American people in the face of the Far Left’s attempt for ANOTHER sham political witch-hunt against President Trump.” [Twitter, Elise Stefanik, 3/31/23]
Rep. Elise Stefanik Had Reportedly Been In Contact With Former President Trump After He Was Indicted. “Trump called key allies on Capitol Hill Thursday night 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 Bragg. Stefanik has been in contact with Trump since he was indicted, according to multiple sources familiar with the matter.” [CNN, 3/30/23]
HOUSE INTELLIGENCE COMMITTEE CHAIR MIKE TURNER CLAIMED THE TRUMP INDICTMENT WAS AN EXAMPLE OF “CANCEL CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM”
House Intelligence Committee Chair Mike Turner Claimed The Indictment Of Former President Trump Was “Politically Motivated” And Was An Example Of “Cancel Criminal Justice System.” “Rep. Mike Turner (R-Ohio) said on Sunday that everyone should ‘let the criminal process play out’ after former President Trump was indicted in an investigation into an alleged hush payment. During an appearance on CNN’s ‘State of the Union,’ Turner, the chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, expressed frustration with those on the left celebrating the news of Trump’s indictment. ‘It really is unfortunate that you’re seeing in numbers on the people on the left, in op-eds, even ones that have been written and have appeared on CNN’s website, celebrating that the president is being charged, and then listing a long list of grievances that have nothing to do with this case that actually involves circumstances well before he was president,’ Turner told host Dana Bash. Turner also said that he believes that the indictment against Trump was ‘politically motivated,’ adding that everyone should let the criminal process play out in this case. ‘I think, really, we ought to all just let the criminal process play out. I do think this is politically motivated,’ Turner told Bash. ‘It’s one thing when you have a cancel culture. It’s another when you have a cancel criminal justice system,’ Turner added. ‘And I hope that we’re certainly not turning to that.’” [The Hill, 4/2/23]
House Republicans Doubled Down On Leadership’s Defense Of Trump Calling The Indictment A “Political Witch Hunt”
REP. MARJORIE TAYLOR GREENE SAID THE TRUMP INDICTMENT WAS “WITCH HUNT BULLSHIT” AND CALLED DA ALVIN BRAGG A “COMPLETE FOOL” AND “DERANGED”
In Response To Former President Trump Being Indicted, Marjorie Taylor Greene Called To Impeach President Biden And Claimed The Indictment Was “Witch Hunt Bullshit.” Marjorie Taylor Greene tweeted: “Impeach Biden. He’s given us every reason and the family banking records and more are giving us receipts. But now that the gloves are off.. Prosecute any and all crimes. Enough of this witch hunt bullshit.” [Twitter, Marjorie Taylor Greene, 3/30/23]
Marjorie Taylor Greene Said New York District Attorney Alvin Bragg Was A “Complete Fool That Is Deranged Enough To Try” To Investigate Former President Trump. Marjorie Taylor Greene tweeted: “Democrats want civil war. They want to push us into reacting so they can use their weaponized government to lock us all up. They know Trump did not break the law. They know more than anyone because they’ve been trying for years to find a way to put him in jail and they can’t. But now they have a complete fool that is deranged enough to try because he is backed by Soros. And Soros wants war to destabilize America and gain full control.” [Twitter, Marjorie Taylor Greene, 3/31/23]
REP. LAUREN BOEBERT CALLED THE TRUMP INDICTMENT A “POLITICAL WITCH HUNT”
Rep. Lauren Boebert Claimed The Indictment Of Former President Trump Was A “Political Witch Hunt.” Lauren Boebert tweeted: “BREAKING: Trump has been indicted! This is another political witch hunt targeting the people’s President.” [Twitter, Lauren Boebert, 3/30/23]
REP. RONNY JACKSON SAID THE TRUMP INDICTMENT WAS A “POLITICAL STUNT” AND TRUMP “HAS BEEN PROVEN TO HAVE DONE NO WRONG”
Rep. Ronny Jackson Said New York District Attorney Alvin Bragg Was A “National Embarrassment,” That Trump “Has Been Proven To Have Done No Wrong” And The Indictment Was “Nothing More Than A Political Stunt.” Rep. Ronny Jackson tweeted: “Alvin Bragg is a NATIONAL EMBARRASSMENT to our justice system. President Trump has been proven to have done NO wrong. This is nothing more than a political stunt to prevent Trump from becoming President in 2024!… WITCH HUNT!” [Twitter, Ronny Jackson, 3/30/23; Twitter, Ronny Jackson, 3/30/23]
REP. MATT GAETZ CLAIMED THE TRUMP INDICTMENT WAS “CLEARLY POLITICAL, FRIVOLOUS” AND SAID HE SPOKE TO TRUMP ABOUT IT
Rep. Matt Gaetz Claimed The Indictment Against Former President Trump Was “Clearly Political, Frivolous.” REP. MATT GAETZ: “What I expect is this will be resolved well before that by any court that looks at the way that the law is being tortured in the absence of any charge that would be maintainable against any human being on the plant Earth other than Donald Trump. Against Trump it is clearly political, frivolous.” [Fox News, The Ingraham Angle, 3/31/23] (video)
Rep. Matt Gaetz Said He Spoke To Former President Trump After He Was Indicted. REP. MATT GAETZ: “It seems to leave a nation on the edge as we witness the Soros-ification of the criminal justice system I this country. […] And now that’s being visited on the United States of America. I spoke with President Trump moments ago and he is resolute and focused and he’s concerned about what this does to America’s brand around the world.” [Fox News, The Ingraham Angle, 3/31/23] (video)
Rep. Matt Gaetz Claimed The Trump Indictment Was Based On A “Novel Legal Theory” Before The Indictment As Unsealed
Rep. Matt Gaetz Claimed The Indictment Of Former President Trump Was A “Novel Legal Theory” That Involved A “Misdemeanor That Has To Get Bootstrapped Onto Election Law.” REP. MATT GAETZ: “We found cases of the FBI cooking the books to try to get every American to think that the person next to them with a pro-Trump bumper sticker is somehow dangerous or evil, and when Biden did that it created a permission structure not only for Alvin Bragg, but for the corrupt, left-leaning prosecutors in Fulton County and even for the special counsel to try lash together anything. Remember this a novel legal theory. You’re talking about a misdemeanor that has to get bootstrapped onto election law in a way I’ve never seen before and Alvin Bragg made this promise in his campaign. He told New York voters that he had sued Trump 100 times and if he got elected to that position he would continue this terrible witch hunt.” [Fox News, The Ingraham Angle, 3/31/23] (video)
REP. THOMAS MASSIE CLAIMED THE TRUMP INDICTMENT WAS “COMPLETELY BOGUS” AND DID A TWITTER POLL ABOUT IT
Rep. Thomas Massie Claimed The Trump Indictment Was “Completely Bogus.” Rep. Thomas Massie tweeted: “Supposedly, Trump’s been indicted for failing to properly report hush payments as campaign expenditures. That’s completely bogus. n fact, they would have indicted him sooner for a crime of using campaign funds for personal benefit had he reported it as a campaign expenditure!” [Twitter, Thomas Massie, 3/31/23]
Rep. Thomas Massie Did A Twitter Poll Asking If Trump Should “Submit To The Bogus Indictment” Or Stay In Florida Where Governor Ron DeSantis Said He Would Not Assist With Extradition.
[Twitter, Thomas Massie, 3/31/23]
REP. ANDY BIGGS CLAIMED THERE WAS “NO REASON TO BELIEVE PRESIDENT TRUMP SHOULD BE INDICTED” AND CALLED THE INDICTMENT “DERANGED”
Rep. Andy Biggs Claimed There Was “No Reason To Believe President Trump Should Be Indicted.” Rep. Andy Biggs tweeted: “After reading this piece, there is no reason to believe President Trump should be indicted.” [Twitter, Andy Biggs, 4/3/23]
Rep. Andy Biggs Called The Indictment Of Former President Trump “Deranged.” Rep. Andy Biggs tweeted: “My official statement regarding the deranged indictment of President Donald J. Trump. I will use every leverage I have to defund every single federal dollar from this prosecuting office.” [Twitter, Andy Biggs, 3/30/23]
REP. BYRON DONALDS CLAIMED THE TRUMP INDICTMENT WAS “POLITICAL PERSECUTION”
Rep. Byron Donalds Claimed The Indictment Of Former President Trump Was “Political Persecution.” Rep. Bryon Donalds tweeted: “Today’s political indictment of Former President Trump is a dark day in American history and a threat to our Republic by Alvin Bragg and the Democratic Party machine. It’s unfathomable to me that this could happen in America. This is political persecution that must not stand!” [Twitter, Byron Donalds, 3/30/23]
REP. PAUL GOSAR SAID THE TRUMP INDICTMENT WAS “THIRD WORLD POLITICS” AND “CLEAR AND BRAZEN POLITICAL PERSECUTION”
Rep. Paul Gosar Called The Indictment Of Former President Trump “Third World Politics From A Soros DA Who Needs To Be Investigated” And “Clear And Brazen Political Persecution.” Rep. Paul Gosar tweeted: “This is third world politics from a Soros DA who needs to be investigated. This is clear and brazen political persecution. I proudly stand with Donald J. Trump.” [Twitter, Paul Gosar, 3/30/23]
REP. BARRY MOORE MADE LIGHT OF THE TRUMP INDICTMENT BY HANDING OUT HAM SANDWICHES AS AN ODE TO THE REFRAIN THAT A JURY COULD “INDICT A HAM SANDWICH”
Rep. Barry Morre Made Light Of Former President Trump’s Indictment By Handing Out Ham Sandwiches At His Capitol Hill Office And Said “You Can Indict A Ham Sandwich, As They Say, But At The End Of The Day You Get An Opportunity To Defend Yourself In Court.” “But Rep. Barry Morre (R-Ala.), another member of the House Judiciary Committee, said Bragg has forced them to investigate the alleged ‘weaponization’ of his office. ‘There’s so many important issues before us, but what’s more important than Americans’ liberty and the opportunity to elect the president that you want to elect?’ Moore said. ‘They do in communist countries lock up political opponents, but not in the United States of America.’ Moore took a creative approach with his response to the Trump indictment. In a reference to the adage that a grand jury would ‘indict a ham sandwich’ — poking fun at the ease prosecutors have in securing grand jury indictments — Moore handed out ham sandwiches at his Capitol Hill office on Friday. ‘You can indict a ham sandwich, as they say, but at the end of the day you get an opportunity to defend yourself in court,’ Moore said. Moore also has some personal experience with indictments. As a state legislator in 2014, he was indicted on charges of perjury and giving false statements; he was later found not guilty. ‘Our community really rallied around me and my family. We had more door-knockers that Saturday after I was indicted,’ Moore said. ‘I think it’s important, too, to stand behind President Trump and his family and say, like those folks knocked doors for me, we’re going to come to your rescue as well.’” [The Hill, 4/1/23]
Some House Republicans Suggested The Trump Indictment Could Lead To Violence
REP. MARJORIE TAYLOR GREENE SAID THE TRUMP INDICTMENT MEANT DEMOCRATS “WANT CIVIL WAR”
In Response To Former President Trump Being Indicted, Marjorie Taylor Greene Claimed “Democrats Want Civil War.” Marjorie Taylor Greene tweeted: “Democrats want civil war. They want to push us into reacting so they can use their weaponized government to lock us all up. They know Trump did not break the law. They know more than anyone because they’ve been trying for years to find a way to put him in jail and they can’t. But now they have a complete fool that is deranged enough to try because he is backed by Soros. And Soros wants war to destabilize America and gain full control.” [Twitter, Marjorie Taylor Greene, 3/31/23]
REP. RONNY JACKSON CLAIMED THE TRUMP INDICTMENT SHOWED “THE HATEFUL DEEP STATE WANTS THIS COUNTRY TO BURN”
In Response To Former President Trump Being Indicted, Rep. Ronny Jackson Claimed “The Hateful Deep State Wants This Country To Burn.” Rep. Ronny Jackson tweeted: “The hateful Deep State wants this country to BURN. Today they didn’t just indict President Trump, they attacked EVERY ONE of his supporters. We’re not going to back down. We will NEVER stop supporting Trump!!” [Twitter, Ronny Jackson, 3/30/23]