{"id":2244784,"date":"2024-05-15T00:31:02","date_gmt":"2024-05-15T04:31:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/senate-gop-leaders-wont-follow-johnson-to-trumps-manhattan-trial\/"},"modified":"2024-05-15T00:33:42","modified_gmt":"2024-05-15T04:33:42","slug":"senate-gop-leaders-wont-follow-johnson-to-trumps-manhattan-trial","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/senate-gop-leaders-wont-follow-johnson-to-trumps-manhattan-trial\/","title":{"rendered":"Senate Republican leaders refuse to accompany Johnson to Trump&#8217;s Manhattan trial"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">22<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fsenate-gop-leaders-wont-follow-johnson-to-trumps-manhattan-trial%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2244784&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>Senate GOP leaders are refraining from attending Trump&#8217;s trial in NY, unlike other\u200d Republicans. \u2064Speaker Johnson&#8217;s appearance sparked speculation on whether Senate Republicans would follow suit. \u200bDespite\u200b endorsing\u200d Trump&#8217;s presidential run, key GOP figures like McConnell and Thune are not planning\u200b to visit, citing other priorities. The trial is seen as election interference by GOP leaders supporting Trump&#8217;s presidency bid.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<div>\n<p>The Senate\u2019s top Republicans have no plans to visit former President <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/donald-trump\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>Donald Trump<\/a>\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/donald-trumps-criminal-hush-money-trial-set-for-march-25\/\" title=\"Trump's hush money trial scheduled for March 25\">hush money trial<\/a> in New York following an appearance by House Speaker <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/mike-johnson\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>Mike Johnson<\/a> (R-LA).<\/p>\n<p>For two weeks, a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/presidential\/3002667\/new-mar-a-lago-republicans-trump-loyalty-pilgrimage-trial\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>spate of Republicans<\/a>, from <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/presidential\/3003236\/jd-vance-steps-up-trump-trial-fundraiser\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title><a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/trump-sows-doubt-about-top-contenders-to-be-his-vice-president\/\" title=\"Trump casts uncertainty on leading VP candidates\">vice presidential hopefuls<\/a><\/a> to rank-and-file lawmakers, have traveled to the Manhattan courthouse to accuse the judge and prosecutors of political bias as Trump faces 34 counts of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/are-the-charges-brought-against-the-trump-organizations-cfo-part-of-a-witch-hunt-experts-weigh-in\/\" title=\"Are The Charges Brought Against The Trump Organization\u2019s CFO Part Of A Witch Hunt? Experts Weigh In\">falsifying business records<\/a> to cover up an alleged affair. <\/p>\n<p>But the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/house\/3003008\/speaker-johnson-trump-trial-nyc-cohen\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>appearance<\/a> by Johnson quickly raised the question of whether the Senate\u2019s GOP leadership will do the same. On Tuesday, the speaker gathered reporters outside the trial to lay into Michael Cohen, the ex-Trump lawyer testifying against his former boss, and declare the former president innocent of the charges.<\/p>\n<p>It would be a surprise to see Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) travel to New York City. He and Trump have been estranged since the Capitol riot in 2021. But neither of the Republicans angling to succeed him next year have plans to either.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI don\u2019t,\u201d Senate Minority Whip John Thune (R-SD) said as he emerged from a leadership meeting on Tuesday. \u201cI\u2019ll let the judiciary sort all that out.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX), an adviser to McConnell, gave a similar answer. \u201cI\u2019m occupied here,\u201d he told the <em>Washington Examiner<\/em>.<\/p>\n<p>Senate GOP leaders have echoed Johnson\u2019s arguments, calling the case, one of four against Trump, a form of \u201celection interference\u201d as he mounts a third run for president. However, they have generally been <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/2903669\/mcconnell-endorses-trump-for-president-despite-rocky-past\/#:~:text=McConnell%20said%20it%20was%20%E2%80%9Cno,out%20of%20the%20presidential%20race.\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>slower to embrace<\/a> him.<\/p>\n<p>All have endorsed his presidential run, but most did so late or after he clinched the Republican nomination.<\/p>\n<p>Even the more <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/democratic-senator-rips-kamala-harris-over-interview-i-couldnt-believe-it-not-a-way-of-working-together\/\" title=\"Democratic Senator Rips Kamala Harris Over Interview: \u2018I Couldn\u2019t Believe It,\u2019 \u2018Not A Way Of Working Together\u2019\">conservative members<\/a> of GOP leadership will forgo the trip. Sen. John Barrasso (R-WY), the No. 3 Republican, \u201cwasn\u2019t planning to.\u201d Neither is Sen. Steve Daines (R-MT), the chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee.<\/p>\n<p>Daines, in particular, has staked his chairmanship on building a strong relationship with the former president. He was the first member of leadership to endorse him a year ago and has coordinated with him closely on which candidates to get behind in Republican primaries.<\/p>\n<p>Daines praised the Republicans who have made the journey but said his job is to help elect a Republican majority next year.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhat\u2019s going on there is outrageous,\u201d Daines said of the prosecution against Trump. \u201cHe\u2019s getting incredible support from so many. And while his own election is being interfered with by the Left, I\u2019m out working hard across the country to make sure we give him a Republican Senate majority.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Sen. Joni Ernst (R-IA), chairwoman of the Republican Policy Committee, said voters in her home state of Iowa view the trial as political but that she would \u201cprobably not\u201d travel to New York City.<\/p>\n<p>Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), the No. 5 Republican in the Senate, was not at the Capitol on Tuesday. A spokesperson did not respond to a request for comment.<\/p>\n<p>Johnson\u2019s pilgrimage to New York City is his latest display of loyalty to Trump. He made a trip to Mar-a-Lago last month to help <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/house\/2983763\/mike-johnson-relationship-trump-ouster-threat\/\">tamp down<\/a> a conservative House rebellion and last week unveiled election integrity legislation alongside members of the former president\u2019s inner circle. <\/p>\n<p>Trump\u2019s unfounded claims of election fraud are central to his third run for president.<\/p>\n<figure><figcaption>From left, Speaker of the House Mike Johnson (R-LA), businessman Vivek Ramaswamy, and Rep. Cory Mills (R-FL) listen as former President Donald Trump talks with reporters outside Manhattan criminal court before his trial in New York, Tuesday, May 14, 2024. (Justin Lane\/Pool Photo via AP)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Meanwhile, Senate GOP leaders have come to terms with Trump\u2019s continued sway over the party. Thune, who called Trump\u2019s role in the Jan. 6 riot \u201cinexcusable,\u201d endorsed him in February, while Cornyn endorsed him in January despite their similarly cool relationship.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title><strong>CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Trump does have outspoken backers in the Senate. Sen. J.D. Vance (R-OH), who is on Trump\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/one-of-the-picks-on-trumps-vp-short-list-speaks-out-about-what-45-really-needs-in-a-second-in-command\/\" title=\"VP Shortlist Pick Speaks on What Trump Needs in a Second-in-Command\">vice presidential short list<\/a>, and Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) visited the Manhattan courtroom on Monday. Last Thursday, Sen. Rick Scott (R-FL), who is \u201cseriously considering\u201d a run for GOP leader, made the trip.<\/p>\n<p>Spokespeople for the Manhattan District Attorney\u2019s Office and the New York court system did not respond to requests for comment.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Senate GOP leaders are avoiding attending ex-President Trump&#8217;s hush money trial in NY after Speaker Mike Johnson&#8217;s visit. Several Republicans, including potential VP candidates and lawmakers, have criticized the judge and prosecutors at the Manhattan courthouse for two weeks<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2651,"featured_media":2244785,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/wex-s3.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/AP24135539338133-1024x591.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2244784","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/wex-s3.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/AP24135539338133-1024x591.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2244784","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2651"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2244784"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2244784\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2244785"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2244784"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2244784"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2244784"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}