Who would’ve thought?
House Speaker Mike Johnson’s support for former President Donald Trump during his trial in Manhattan has stirred unease within his own party, according to a report by The Hill.
Several Republicans, speaking anonymously, have expressed concerns that Johnson, a staunch Southern Baptist and advocate of traditional conservatism, is straying from the GOP’s family values image to gain favor with Trump.
“Johnson seems to believe that being present during the most explicit and controversial parts of the testimony will benefit him politically. He needs to explain his reasoning,” one House Republican told The Hill. “Given his previous statements, it seems like a strange place for him to be.”
“If his purpose was to discuss other trials, that would be a different matter. It would appear quite different from this specific trial,” the lawmaker added.
Earlier this week, Johnson’s office issued a statement defending his presence, stating, “Speaker Johnson will address the political persecution of the 45th President of the United States by President [Joe] Biden’s weaponized Department of Justice and the left-wing Manhattan district attorney.”
However, not all lawmakers are convinced that the exposure gained from attending such a sensational trial is worthwhile.
“I saw him on the news and couldn’t believe it. Mike Johnson is known to be a devout Christian, and this doesn’t align with that image,” said another Republican lawmaker to the outlet. “It’s definitely not a good look.”
Another GOP representative echoed this sentiment, expressing similar concerns.
The Trump hush money case involves allegations that Trump had his former lawyer, Michael Cohen, make payments to adult film star Stormy Daniels (real name Stephanie Clifford) and ex-Playboy model Karen McDougal to keep quiet about alleged affairs, which Trump has denied. Trump is accused of falsifying business records to hide these payments.
