For donald trumpFor Trump’s critics, it has become a frequent source of mockery: Members of the former president’s immediate family have mostly failed to join him in New York City as his criminal trial unfolds. While it’s not uncommon for defendants to receive moral support from loved ones — appearing in court with a spouse, for example — Trump has seen far fewer allies show up in Manhattan Criminal Court.
That changed a bit last week when Senator Rick Scott showed your support for the Republican Party’s presumptive presidential nominee, driving with Trump to the courthouse, attending the trial and selling pro-Trump talking points to reporters as the day progressed. The Florida Republican was not a witness or party in the case in any way, but Scott apparently saw symbolic value in appearing and political value in saying things to the media that the defendant could not.
And this, in turn, appears to have inspired other party members to do the same thing. NBC News reported:
The extreme right-wing senators were, in fact, accompanied by other republican authoritiesincluding Rep. Nicole Malliotakis of New York, Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird and Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall.
Predictably, they went far beyond simply professing the former president’s innocence. Vance and his Republican Party cronies also did what the defendant would do if not for a court-imposed gag order: They publicly criticized witnesses and even went after Judge Juan Merchan’s daughter.
Part of what makes all of this notable is the apparent campaign of outsourcing: There are things Trump wants to say but can’t, so he’s counting on sycophantic allies – eager to please their party’s leader – to show up outside the courtroom and deliver the goods. you speak. his place.
But that’s not the only thing that happens here.
Vance, for example, is in the mix to be Trump’s running mate, which likely helped inspire the Ohio senator to make the trip to New York. This, in turn, caught the attention of other vice presidential candidates: Vivek Ramaswamy will join Trump todayjust like the governor Doug Burgum and Rep. Byron Donalds. Republican Senator Tim Scott of South Carolina is reportedly has his eye on a trip of his own.
It has the elements of an escalating litmus test: As the former president weighs his options for his 2024 ticket, it’s not strange to think he’ll consider who showed up in New York City and who didn’t.
Under the original model, Republicans were expected to travel to Mar-a-Lago to kiss Trump’s ring and satisfy his ego. Under the new model, Republicans are traveling to the Manhattan Criminal Court kiss Trump’s ring and satisfy his ego.
This article was originally published in MSNBC.com
