One Senate Republican rumored to be considered to be former President Donald Trump's running mate is now calling for the judge overseeing the case — as well as his daughter — to be subpoenaed.
In the wake of Trump being found guilty on all 34 felony counts in Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg's indictment, Fox News primetime host Jesse Watters interviewed Sen. J.D.Vance (R-Ohio) to gauge how GOP officials close to the former president were reacting to the news. Vance told Watters that Republicans "have to be willing to fight back." That apparently included going after not only Bragg, but also Judge Juan Merchan and even his family.
"We need to be subpoenaing Judge Merchan and his daughter. We need to understand what are the connections between big Democratic money and this sham prosecution," Vance said. "Did George Soros talk to Alvin Bragg about using his power to after Donald Trump? We need to get to the bottom of it."
READ MORE: Donald Trump guilty on all counts in New York criminal trial
"And when we find wrongdoing, we need to be willing to actually punish it," he added. "That is, again, the only language that I think these people are going to understand."
Vance's comments about Judge Merchan's daughter are likely in reference to her work for a consulting firm as a campaign fundraising professional. They also echo Trump's repeated past attacks on the daughter of the judge who oversaw his case, which prompted Merchan to impose a gag order on the former president preventing him from attacking jurors, witnesses, court staff and their families.
Some of the past clients for the consulting firm that Merchan's daughter works for include Rep. Adam Schiff (D-California) and President Joe Biden's 2020 campaign. However, in April of last year, NBC News reported that "there’s no available evidence to suggest that Merchan’s daughter has done any subsequent work for Biden and no evidence to suggest that she ‘now’ works for a Biden political operation."
In addition to Vance, other high-level Republicans have attacked Merchan's daughter outside of the Manhattan courthouse where Trump's trial was being held. Some of those attacks came from House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-Louisiana), and Rep. Byron Donalds (R-Florida), who is also considered to be on Trump's list of potential running mates.
READ MORE: 'The law finally caught up to him': Experts react to Trump being convicted of 34 felonies
Trump is due in Merchan's courtroom again on July 11, when he will be sentenced to as many as four years in prison (class E felonies don't require a prison sentence). The sentences for all of his 34 felony convictions will be served concurrently, meaning all at once. According to former FBI general counsel Andrew Weissmann, Merchan may end up incarcerating Trump due not only to his "complete lack of remorse" in the wake of the verdict, but also due to his multiple violations of his gag order.
On July 15 — four days after Trump is sentenced — the 2024 Republican National Convention will begin in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where the GOP is expected to officially nominate Trump as its presidential candidate this fall. He will be the first nominee by either major party to have been convicted of, let alone charged with any crimes.
Watch the video of Vance's comments below, or by clicking this link.
READ MORE: 'Not small things': Ex-prosecutor predicts this is what will get Trump sentenced to prison
