Republicans are not content to sit back and watch their presidential candidate’s fate rest in the hands of allegedly politically influenced judges. House Speaker Mike Johnson has announced his plan to hold the judiciary accountable following former President Donald Trump’s conviction on 34 charges of falsifying business records.
Johnson’s “Three-Pronged Approach”
Specifically, Speaker Johnson announced a “three-pronged approach” to provide oversight of the judiciary. These three prongs involve the extent of the legislature’s purview– funding, legislation, and oversight.
High Stakes and Public Faith
Johnson stated, “All those things will be happening vigorously because we have to do that, because the stakes are too high and because people are losing faith in our institutions.”
Concern for Institutional Trust
He continued, “And that, at the end of the day, is something that should concern every single one of us. And I think it does.”
Reaction to Trump’s Conviction
Johnson’s announcement and plan moving forward came less than a week after the New York jury found Trump guilty on 34 felony counts, and Trump became the first former President of the United States convicted of a felony.
Republican Unity and Claims of Political Motives
Republicans have stood united in support of Trump and calling the verdict a sham and a product of political theater. They claim that the Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg boosted his own political profile and campaigned on a platform to prosecute Trump.
Discrediting the Prosecution’s Witness
Trump’s allies in the House and Senate have also painted the prosecution’s main witness in the trial, former Trump lawyer turned enemy, as untrustworthy and ill-intentioned.
Legislative Offensive Begins
In terms of steps taken toward the three-pronged approach within the legislature’s toolbox, House Republicans have begun their offensive.
House Judiciary Committee Actions
As chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, Rep. Jim Jordan stated that he would require Bragg and New York prosecutor Matthew Colangelo to testify before the committee on the “unprecedented political prosecution” of the former President.
Appropriations and Funding Reforms
For the funding and appropriations prong, Rep. Jordan asked House Appropriations Committee Chair Tom Cole to include certain reforms in the appropriations process. The specific requests include striking funding for the FBI if it is “not essential for the agency to execute its mission.”
Targeting State Prosecutors
Additionally, Jordan asked Cole to eliminate funding for state prosecutors and attorneys engaged in “lawfare.”
Federal Prosecutors and System Abuse
Finally, Jordan asked Cole to advance an appropriations bill to eliminate funds for federal prosecutors who “abuse” the system, as Jordan understood.
Johnson’s View on Democratic Strategies
Johnson has reiterated the argument that Democrats are strategically attempting to diminish Trump’s electability, and that is the motivation for the prosecution and conviction of the charges that date back in time to events that happened prior to the 2016 election.
Trump’s Polling Numbers and Judicial System
Johnson stated about Trump’s positive polling numbers, “[Democrats] see this happening, and they’re so desperate to stop them that they are willing to use the judicial system to do so. It is a new low. And it’s a dangerous one.”
Scalise and the Notion of Blind Justice
Rep. Steve Scalise said last week that Americans must believe that justice is blind. Many Republicans echo the sentiment that Trump’s conviction and prosecution are a political strategy to win an election—the opposite of the notion that justice is blind.
Erosion of Faith in Justice
Johnson referenced this belief when he lamented, “They’re eroding the people’s faith in our system of justice itself. You have to believe that there is equal justice under the law in order to maintain a constitutional republic.”
The Core of American Identity
Speaker Johnson stated, “This goes to the very core of who we are. The foundation of who we are as a nation, and that’s why it’s bigger than just President Trump. It’s bigger than just these cases. It’s about our system itself. And because of that, there is a backlash.”
