Nine Republican lawmakers made the journey to New York to stand alongside former President Trump in court on Thursday, continuing the trend of GOP legislators attending the hush money trial.
The decision may put the Republican party’s participation in a crucial vote at risk later in the day. Additionally, this comes after the House Oversight and Accountability Committee rescheduled a hearing to allow its members to attend court.
Reps. Matt Gaetz (Fla.), Lauren Boebert (Colo.), Andy Biggs (Ariz.), Mike Waltz (Fla.), and Eli Crane (Ariz.) were present in the courtroom, while Reps. Andy Ogles (Tenn.), Anna Paulina Luna (Fla.), Ralph Norman (S.C.), and House Freedom Caucus Chair Bob Good (Va.) were also seen at the Manhattan courthouse.
Boebert and Gaetz were seen sitting in the front row of the gallery, alongside Eric Trump and the Secret Service agents assigned to the former president. Good was also observed seated in the front row, on the opposite side of Trump’s security team.
From the left, we see Representative Anna Paulina Luna, a Republican from Florida, Representative Andy Ogles, a Republican from Tennessee, Representative Matt Gaetz, a Republican from Florida, Representative Andy Biggs, a Republican from Arizona, and Representative Lauren Boebert, a Republican from Colorado. They are all attentively observing former President Donald Trump’s appearance at Manhattan criminal court in New York on Thursday, May 16, 2024. (Photo: Mike Segar/Pool Photo via AP)
Five more lawmakers are seated in the second row, which is also designated for the guests of Trump.
Some of the lawmakers were asked to sit in the back of the room due to limited seating space for the entire entourage, as Boris Epshteyn, a Trump adviser, observed.
The lawmakers were quite talkative once they entered the courtroom, especially during the numerous sidebars that marked the beginning of Thursday’s proceedings.
As the jurors made their way into the room, Boebert maintained her gaze, keeping her body turned towards them as they walked across the room towards the jury box.
While there is a sizable group of lawmakers in attendance, these individuals are simply the most recent in a series of GOP figures who have witnessed the trial. This includes Speaker Mike Johnson (La.).
On what was originally a packed day for the House Oversight Committee and the House Judiciary Committee, a trip to New York has been scheduled. The committees had planned morning hearings to address a key GOP objective: the pursuit of holding Attorney General Merrick Garland in contempt of Congress.
U.S. Representative Andy Ogles, a Republican from Tennessee, addressed the media at a news conference held near Manhattan Criminal Court during the trial of former President Donald Trump on Thursday, May 16, 2024, in New York. The trial revolves around allegations that Trump falsified business records as part of an attempt to conceal a sex scandal during the 2016 presidential campaign. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
According to a source, The Hill has confirmed that the Oversight schedule was changed at the last minute to accommodate the lawmakers’ trip to New York.
Gaetz and Biggs will miss the Judiciary hearing on the matter as they trek to Trump’s trial. However, Boebert and Luna, who are members of the Oversight committee, may be able to attend the hearing, which has been rescheduled to 8 p.m. EDT.
A spokesperson for the House Oversight Committee informed The Hill on Wednesday that the markup will be commencing at a different time to accommodate the schedules of the members, as conflicts have arisen.
Late returns could also create complications for House Republicans, as they are scheduled to vote at 4 p.m. on a bill aimed at reversing President Biden’s hold on certain arms transfers to Israel. The White House has made it clear that Biden would veto the bill.
Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida and Rep. Lauren Boebert of Colorado were seen observing the proceedings in Donald Trump’s hush money trial at Manhattan criminal court on Thursday, May 16, 2024. The photo captured the two lawmakers, along with Donald Trump, watching the trial unfold. The image, taken by Elizabeth Williams and shared via AP, provides a glimpse into the high-profile trial.
Several Democrats had initially shown support for the measure, but Democratic leaders are now actively discouraging it. Consequently, if a significant number of Republicans are absent, it may become challenging for GOP leaders to successfully pass the measure.
Several GOP lawmakers, including Reps. Byron Donalds of Florida, Nicole Malliotakis of New York, and Cory Mills of Florida, as well as Sens. JD Vance of Ohio and Tommy Tuberville of Alabama, visited the Manhattan courthouse this week. Additionally, North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum and Vivek Ramaswamy, who have been suggested as potential running mates for Trump, were also present.
As of 10:42 a.m. EDT, the information has been updated.
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