Several Republicans are once again absent from Washington to attend the criminal trial of former President Donald Trump on Manhattan. One House Democrat is pointing out that their absence comes during a critical week of legislative action.
During a Thursday meeting of the House Judiciary Committee, Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-California) tore into his Republican colleagues for holding up Congressional business to show solidarity with the ex-president more than 240 miles away from Washington.
"It's nice to see that some of my colleagues on the other side could make it today. I don't know if that means that there weren't enough seats in the courtroom in New York," Swalwell said. "I know some members will miss this vote because they want to be at the [former] president’s trial.
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"I don't think that anything could animate the phrase 'do-nothing Congress' more than missing votes and cancelling hearings to go up and be a spectator at your cult leader's trial," he added. "That is the very definition of 'do-nothing Congress.'"
As Swalwell noted, Rep. James Comer (R-Kentucky), who chairs the House Oversight Committee, cancelled a Thursday hearing yesterday specifically to accommodate Republican members attending Trump's trial proceedings. That hearing is concerning a vote to hold Attorney General Merrick Garland in contempt for refusing to hand over audio of President Joe Biden's conversations with Department of Justice special counsel Robert Hur over to the GOP-controlled committees.
Hur, who declined to charge Biden with any crimes after his classified documents probe concluded, spoke with Biden on numerous occasions about his handling of classified documents stemming from his time as vice president during President Barack Obama's administration. Republicans have said the audio is necessary for their investigations into Biden, but the DOJ said Thursday that it would continue to block the committees' attempts to obtain the recordings.
"Because of the President's longstanding commitment to protecting the integrity, effectiveness, and independence of the Department of Justice and its law enforcement investigations, he has decided to assert executive privilege over the recordings," White House Counsel Edward Siskel wrote in a letter to Reps. Comer and Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), who chairs the Judiciary Committee.
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After weeks of no prominent Republicans coming to show support for Trump, a parade of prominent figures within the GOP have taken turns being seen in the Manhattan courtroom this week. Earlier, Sens. Rick Scott (R-Florida), Tim Scott (R-South Carolina) and Tommy Tubverville (R-Alabama) made appearances at Trump's trial, along with House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-Louisiana), Rep. Byron Donalds (R-Florida) and North Dakota Republican Governor Doug Burgum, among others.
Even though Judge Juan Merchan's gag order prevents Trump from attacking witnesses, jurors and court staff, his surrogates have each lined up to take shots at the prohibited targets of the gag this week. Several Republicans notably went after Merchan's daughter, who has done paid consulting work for Democratic candidates.
Five Oversight Committee members — specifically Reps. Andy Biggs (R-Arizona), Lauren Boebert (R-Colorado), Michael Cloud (R-Texas), Anna Paulina Luna (R-Florida) and Mike Waltz (R-Florida) — are among the 12 Republicans in New York today.
Watch the video of Swalwell's comments below, or by clicking this link.
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