Welcome to the online version of From the Policy Deska nightly newsletter that brings you the latest reporting and analysis from the NBC News politics team on the campaign, the White House and Capitol Hill.
In today’s edition, senior political editor Mark Murray compares the Republican Party’s response to Donald Trump’s guilty verdict with their responses to the “Access Hollywood” tape in 2016. Additionally, senior political reporters Jonathan Allen and Matt Dixon weigh in on the political consequences of the trial of silence. .
‘Go to Hollywood’ versus now: How the GOP learned to support Trump: From the Politics Department
By Mark Murray
Almost eight years ago, key figures in the Republican Party distanced themselves from Donald Trump after the “Access Hollywood” video revealed him making lewd and aggressive comments about women.
Then-House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., Trump disinvited of a campaign event. Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, ask him to step down as Republican Party candidate. And then-Rep. Jason Chaffetz, R-Utah, withdrew its endorsement.
“I’m out. I can no longer in good conscience support this person for president. These are some of the most abhorrent and offensive comments you can imagine,” Chaffetz said in October 2016.
Then Trump won the presidency just a month later.
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Since then – after two impeachments, a presidential defeat in 2020 and multiple accusations – the current Republican Party has learned to support Trump 100% when faced with bad news about its former president and current presumptive presidential candidate.
In fact, the reaction from Republican elected officials and candidates for public office after Trump was found guilty of all 34 counts in the New York silent trial was overwhelmingly favorable.
“This verdict is a travesty of justice,” said North Dakota Governor Doug Burguma potential Trump running mate.
“This case should never have been opened, and this miscarriage of justice is despicable,” Pennsylvania Senate candidate Dave McCormick said.
“WE THE PEOPLE support PRESIDENT TRUMP!” Montana GOP Senate candidate Tim Sheehy reacted in a statement.
Meanwhile, Republican Senate candidate and former Maryland governor Larry Hogan post on Xwhich did not mention Trump and called on “all Americans to respect the verdict and legal process,” drew a swift rebuke from the MAGA crowd.
Monitoring the reaction of elected Republicans and convention delegates will be the most instructive indicator of whether the party supports Trump as its standard bearer, even after he has been found guilty.
Because if there is no distance or dissent from the Republican Party, he will be on the right track to remain their candidate.
Guilty but shameless, Trump says he will see Biden in November
By Jonathan Allen and Matt Dixon
Donald Trump is guilty, but he has no shame. The question now is whether he will suffer politically for his crimes.
The first former US president convicted at trial – found guilty on Thursday of all 34 counts of conspiring to help his 2016 campaign by falsifying documents to cover up an alleged sexual encounter – Trump rallied quickly to raise money and votes from of the verdict.
He released a fundraising message to donors just minutes after the jury finished its work and promised in court that “the true verdict will be given by the people on November 5” when he faces President Joe Biden in a rematch of his election. 2020.
Biden agreed.
“There’s only one way to keep Donald Trump out of the Oval Office: at the polls,” he said in a statement posted on along with a link to donate to your campaign. He didn’t take a victory lap, he didn’t utter any insults and he didn’t make any predictions about Trump’s political demise.
Trump also called himself a “political prisoner” in another fundraising appeal shortly after the verdict, even though he is not in prison.
There is simply no precedent for a convicted candidate carrying a major party’s flag in a general election. Many political experts say it is too early to say whether the outcome will add fuel to Trump’s 2024 campaign or make it toxic for persuadable voters.
Democrats who spoke to NBC News on Thursday were divided over whether Biden could receive an advantage from the verdict, with some seeing a genuine advantage in Trump’s problems and others expressing more doubts.
“This is the result we wanted and it’s another talking point against Trump, but it doesn’t mean much for the actual votes,” said a Biden campaign official who spoke on condition of anonymity to make an assessment without fear of reprisal.
On the other side of the political divide, Republicans followed Trump’s lead, expressing confidence that the jury’s decision would create a powerful backlash in their favor.
James Blair, political director for the Trump campaign and the Republican National Committee, led a conference call with state GOP party chairs shortly after the results were made public, according to two people who were on the call.
“There is a clear message they want us to convey,” one participant said of Trump’s political apparatus. “It’s an unfair witch hunt. We will appeal and we will win the appeal. Guys, we just elected the next president of the United States.”
Read more →
More Trump verdict coverage from NBC News
What else happened today…
- Independent variable: Indicted Sen. Bob Menendez, D-N.J., has gathered the signatures needed to qualify for the ballot as an independent candidate, five people familiar with the matter told NBC News. Read more →
- Changing course: Biden secretly gave Ukraine permission to use U.S. weapons to attack inside Russia, a turnaround that Kiev’s allies hope will help turn the tide of the war. Read more →
- RSVP no : Chief Justice John Roberts refused to meet with Democratic Senators Dick Durbin of Illinois and Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island to discuss Supreme Court ethics after reports emerged that controversial flags were hoisted in the homes of Judge Samuel Alito. Read more →
- The Supremes: Meanwhile, the Supreme Court sided with the NRA in a government coercion case in New York state. Read more →
- Turning things around? Polls show Biden losing support among black and Latino voters, but his campaign says it has a game plan to keep them in the mix. Read more →
- Whistling: Former NBA player turned right-wing Republican Minnesota Senate candidate Royce White has faced lawsuits over unpaid child support. Read more →
- Enemies: Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis hopes to raise at least $10 million for Trump in a fundraising campaign starting this summer. Read more →
- Money Rush: Politico reports that Miriam Adelson, the longtime Republican mega-donor and widow of Sheldon Adelson, plans to help fund a pro-Trump super PAC. Read more →
- The successes keep coming: The House Ethics Committee is opening an investigation into indicted Rep. Henry Cuellar, D-Texas. Read more →
That’s all from The Politics Desk for now. If you have feedback – like or dislike – send us an email at newsletter@nbcuni.com
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This story originally appeared on NBCNews.com read the full story
