The Republican Party under Donald Trump is a most contradictory beast. On one hand it’s a deeply cynical, cruel, and dangerous fascist movement that threatens to destroy American democracy itself. It must be confronted rigorously and destroyed wholly if this country is going to survive as anything other than a burnt-out theocratic shell of its former self. On the other hand, the GOP has become so patently absurd and so drenched in clownish aesthetics that one can’t help but laugh at it. It’s both deadly serious and impossible to take serious.
For proof of the latter reality, look no further than the ongoing circus outside of the New York courthouse where Trump is standing trial for the falsification of business records related to hush money payouts. Desperate to demonstrate their fealty to the MAGA kingpin, prominent Republicans like Speaker Mike Johnson have been showing up regularly to violate the gag order on behalf of Trump by smearing the judge, his family, and the witnesses involved in the case. As if that weren’t pathetic enough, they’ve taken to aping Trump’s wardrobe by dressing identically in his trademark blue suit and red tie.
While the optics are hilarious because they underline the groveling, spineless ethos that now dominates the GOP, the behavior itself is no laughing matter. It’s a direct assault on not only the justice system, but the idea of justice itself.
Expel Marco Rubio for refusing to accept the results of the 2024 election!
It’s possible and perhaps even likely that Trump himself is encouraging these Republicans to circumvent his gag order — a scheme that would put Trump himself in violation of the order and thus susceptible to imprisonment — but it’s a possibility that’s incredibly difficult to prove. It’s also possible that these people decided to do this wholly on their own, so hungry are they for validation from Trump and the surge in support from the base and donor class that such validation brings.
Some of the C-listers who have been showing up outside of the courthouse like Doug Bergum, Vivek Ramaswamy, and Byron Donalds are almost certainly humiliating themselves in this fashion for a shot at securing Trump’s VP slot or a cabinet position. These are immoral political hacks willing to feign unquestioning loyalty to the MAGA leader in service of the only thing that they’re really loyal to: their own careers.
Immorality aside, this performative devotion to Trump doesn’t come without serious risks. By tying themselves so visibly and adamantly to him, these people are not only shredding their credibility, they’re staking their political futures on his success. If Trump loses the election (or better yet ends up in prison) then Mike Johnson and his ilk will have bet it all on a disgraced, irrelevant demagogue. History will remember them as traitors to their country and voters will see them as stone cold losers. Committing yourself to a strongman only works if he turns out to actually be strong. In Trump’s case, it’s weakness all the way through.
If Trump does manage to eke out a victory in November, this courthouse behavior gives us a clear indication of what we can expect. Gone are the so-called adult voices in the room. A second Trump term will find him surrounded by abject sycophants and yes men who will happily rubber-stamp his authoritarian agenda if it means more power for themselves. Trump will get a green light to indulge in his worst inclinations and the American people will suffer the consequences.
We’ll get force-fed a national abortion ban, jackbooted thugs kicking down doors to kidnap and deport millions of migrants, and a gutting of the Justice Department for starters. Throughout it all, we’ll be forced to look at Mike Johnson and these other MAGA creatures in their matching uniforms, standing behind Trump, grinning for the cameras as America burns.
Thankfully, it’s not too late to prevent such a future. Power resides in the ballot box and it falls to all of us to not only vote for Biden but to convince everyone we know to do the same. We have an opportunity to take down not only Donald Trump but all of the Republicans who have chosen to shamelessly enable him.
Stay focused, stay energized.
Interview
Brian interviews Congressman Daniel Goldman about why Trump is so desperate to have Republican lawmakers violate the gag order on his behalf, whether he’s worried about a sleeper Trump supporter on the jury, and what to do about the corruption on this Supreme Court.
Democracy Watch
Marc Elias discusses the Trump campaign's first election lawsuit of the election cycle.
The Legal Breakdown
Glenn Kirschner discusses the likelihood of charging Trump's courtroom mouthpieces with obstruction of justice for helping him circumvent his gag order.
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