A handful of Republicans are beginning to rebel against a MAGA-led push for action designed to clear Donald Trump of his convictions, according to Salon.
In an article Saturday, the website revealed not every party member in the House is delighted at the effort, apparently being led by Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA).
“Stupid,” was the response the website got from Rep. Mike Simpson (R-ID) when asked about the plans.
Johnson has reportedly spoken to Trump several times, and appears to be in support of the House acting after the former president was convicted of 34 counts involving business fraud.
But experts say there’s little Congress can do to overturn the actual conviction.
By asking for that, Trump, "Not only shows the former president lacks a basic undertaking of how our system of government works, but it also demonstrates his continued disrespect for our criminal justice system," former federal prosecutor Temidayo Aganga-Williams told Salon.
What Congress could do is retaliate against New York’s prosecutors through actions such as cutting grants.
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But the handful of Republicans Salon found who were opposed to those measures mean it’s unlikely to pass, given the tiny majority the party currently holds in Congress, the report said. It can only afford to lose two votes and still pass legislation.
“I don’t think it’s a good idea unless you can show that [the prosecutors] acted in bad faith or fraud or something like that,” Simpson said.
“They’re just doing their job — even though I disagree with what they did.”
Another Republican representative, who Salon didn’t name to protect them from possible retaliation, said, “We accuse Democrats of weaponizing the Justice system. That’s exactly what we’d be doing.”
Trump apparently called Johnson in an F-bomb laden conversation ordering that he “enlist House Republicans” to clear him.
"Trump had his day in court and the jury rendered its fair verdict," said Aganga-Williams." Trump can appeal his verdict through normal channels, but instead he is looking to subvert norms."
