Republicans are gearing up to retaliate after former President Donald Trump’s conviction on criminal charges this week, intensifying their probes into President Joe Biden and the Democrats to balance the scales as the November election approaches.
House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan (R-OH) was quick to criticize Trump’s guilty verdict, announcing on Friday his intentions to summon Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg and prosecutor Matthew Colangelo before Congress in June for a public hearing on the case. Jordan has been investigating the two attorneys for several months over allegations they reignited the criminal case against Trump to impair his presidential campaign.
“This hearing will examine actions by state and local prosecutors to engage politically motivated prosecutions of federal officials, in particular the recent political prosecution of President Donald Trump by the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office,” Jordan stated in letters to Bragg and Colangelo on Friday.
The House Oversight Committee might also accelerate its impeachment inquiry into Biden, increasing the probability that the president will face a criminal referral by House investigators. A spokesperson for the committee informed Truth Voices that there were no updates on how lawmakers would proceed at this time.
Outside Capitol Hill, Republican attorneys general across the nation are pledging to defend Trump.
Attorney General Ken Paxton of Texas swiftly opposed Trump’s verdict, promising to “unleash every tool at my disposal to fight this blatant corruption and political persecution spewing from New York and the Biden administration.” The specifics of this effort are unclear, but it’s not the first time Paxton has defended Trump.
The Texas attorney general previously led efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 election in Texas, which ultimately failed and resulted in disciplinary actions from the State Bar of Texas.
Other Republicans, particularly those rumored to be contenders for positions in a potential Trump administration, have also pledged to challenge the conviction.
Mike Davis, a potential candidate for attorney general, even told Axios that GOP prosecutors in Georgia and Florida should initiate criminal investigations into Democrats to determine if Trump’s indictment amounts to election interference.
Preserve your records, @ManhattanDA.
You’re ringleaders in a federal criminal conspiracy to violate President Trump’s constitutional rights.
Those are serious federal civil-rights felonies.
Accountability is coming, starting on January 20, 2025.
“Nobody is above the law.” https://t.co/vhvTBQqJXr
— 🇺🇸 Mike Davis 🇺🇸 (@mrddmia) May 31, 2024
Senate Republicans are also opposing Biden, with a group led by Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) threatening to stop all actions in the upper chamber in reaction to Trump’s conviction.
In a statement issued on Friday, Lee and seven other Republican senators vowed not to advance any “non-security related funding” for the remainder of the Biden administration or approve any confirmations for judicial or political appointees. They also promised to obstruct the swift passage of any Democratic-led legislation or priorities.
“Strongly worded statements are not enough,” Lee posted on X. “Those who turned our judicial system into a political cudgel must be held accountable. We are no longer cooperating with any Democrat legislative priorities or nominations, and we invite all concerned Senators to join our stand.”
The letter was signed by senators such as Marco Rubio (R-FL) and J.D. Vance (R-OH), both of whom are considered potential candidates to be Trump’s running mate.
Meanwhile, Republicans are trying to use the conviction to their advantage. The National Republican Senatorial Committee quickly sent out fundraising emails attacking vulnerable incumbents like Sens. Jon Tester (D-MT) and Sherrod Brown (D-OH) for not condemning the verdict.
The GOP campaign arms reported record fundraising numbers just one day after the verdict against Trump was announced. The Trump campaign released a statement claiming it “shattered” fundraising records, bringing in $34.8 million — nearly double the amount of any single previous day.
Whether the verdict will boost Trump’s chances of reclaiming the presidency remains uncertain. Public polls for the presidential race have shown minimal change, even as the trial proceeded.
Most people, according to polls, considered the New York hush money case to be less serious than Trump’s other criminal cases. Earlier this month, a Quinnipiac University survey found that even among Trump supporters, 6% would be less likely to vote for him if he were convicted.
Polls will likely surface in the coming days and weeks, but their results may not accurately reflect voter sentiment come November, especially as Trump faces his other criminal cases.
