Johnson demands all Trump prosecutions cease, vows to use Congress 'in every possible way'

[riversedge]

Source: alternet.org




David Badash
1h

In a clear attack on the executive branch, the judicial system, states’ rights, and the rule of law in America, Republican Speaker of the House Mike Johnson vowed on Tuesday to use all the powers of Congress at his disposal to end all four current criminal prosecutions of ex-president Donald Trump.

Johnson’s remarks late Tuesday morning came at the exact same time Stormy Daniels was giving sworn testimony about her alleged sexual relationship with Trump in a Manhattan Superior Court case. The presumptive 2024 Republican presidential nominee is on trial for 34 felonies related to falsification of business records when he allegedly paid hush money to the adult film star then covered up those payments in what prosecutors say was election interference.

“President Trump has done nothing wrong here and he continues to be the target of endless lawfare,” Speaker Johnson told reporters Tuesday during an official House news conference (video below). “It has to stop. And you’re gonna see the United States Congress address this in every possible way that we can, because we need accountability. Ultimately, at the end of the day, it’s bigger than President Trump. It’s about the people’s faith in our system of justice. And we’re gonna get down to the bottom of it. All these cases need to be dropped, because they are a threat to our system.”

Johnson’s remarks also come as he faces an ouster threat from far-right MAGA Republican Christian nationalist Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene. The Speaker, who repeatedly has said he speaks to Trump frequently, spent the weekend at the ex-president’s Florida resort and residence, Mar-a-Lago. He also traveled there just weeks ago as Greene’s threats were heating up. Trump and Johnson held a joint press conference on “election integrity,” an image some say was a show of strength and support from the leader of his party.


Read more: https://www.alternet.org/amp/johnson-trump-prosecutions-2668188108

---

Also see this DU thread which I had started earlier today on Johnson demands:

https://www.democraticunderground.com/100218929115

[Lovie777]

1. Nope..................................

and STFU.

[lastlib]

80. Hey little mikey--Pound Sand!

you're out of your lane--TSF's trials are NOYDB*! You have NO constitutional role in these trials. Zero Zilch. Nada. NONE.

Stick to legislating (or, in your case, NOT legislating ), and leave the "judiciating" and executing to the big boys who know what it's all about. In this area, you obviously don't know jack-shit--a fact PROVED by the fact that you opened your effin' mouth about it.

(*none of your damn Beeswax.)

[Harker]

2. I wonder who told him to say that, and what was the proposed penalty for not doing so. n/t

[mchill]

4. MTG finally backed off. But maybe the orange turd?

Or both?

[Harker]

6. His announcement looks like a hostage video.

I'm guessing Trumpsky yelled at him when he visited Mar-a-lago-go.

[Escurumbele]

67. That was the deal he made with Greene, that is why she is waiting for him to behave and obey, and if not?

What an unprincipled SOB, all to maintain a position that he cannot control, he needs to look in the mirror and ask himself "do I actually enjoy any power in my position?", and the answer you SOB, is NO, you don't, MTG is using you as a marionette, she pulls your strings..

[Diamond_Dog]

3. Good luck with that, Doofus.

[Ocelot II]

5. So the legislative branch thinks it can control

the executive branch (DoJ) and the judicial branch? Can you say “separation of powers,” Mike?

[Ponietz]

14. or "States' rights"?

[LetMyPeopleVote]

7. MTG demanded Johnson defund Jack Smith and abandon Ukraine in contentious meeting: report

Maga Mike is caving to MTG

Link to tweet

https://www.rawstory.com/marjorie-taylor-greene-2668185404/

Rebellious Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) reportedly laid out her demands to House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) during a contentious meeting about her efforts to get him ousted from his position.

Punchbowl News reports that Greene made a number of asks during a meeting with Johnson that included a guarantee that he would not pass more military aid for Ukraine, a pledge to defund special counsel Jack Smith's prosecutions of President Donald Trump, and that "Johnson only advance legislative priorities that have the support of the majority of the majority — an adherence to the so-called Hastert Rule."

Link to tweet

[sheshe2]

74. Who the F**K does she think she is!?

[joshdawg]

76. Exactly!

She is no position to "demand" anything from anyone.
Sheesh, what a waste of skin and oxygen.

[ZonkerHarris]

8. They are scared. They know this will expose him and them and they will lose voters. Pure fear now from the GOP

[FakeNoose]

25. They made a huge mistake allowing him to run

It was so obvious to us, but they're kinda slow....

[oldsoftie]

37. Well, there were 6 people who could've stopped him. Other than that, how could they stop him?

He's always done whatever he wanted nobody from the Party would override him

[lastlib]

9. He says they're going to get to the bottom of things......

Hell, they hit bottom months ago, and they're still digging.

Pound sand, mikey. you're out of your lane by a mile. This is NOYDB*

(*none of your damn beeswax)

[Lonestarblue]

10. Please show me the article in the Constitution where Congress has the right to shut down criminal prosecutions.

And for political reasons. Speaker Johnson, you are out of order.

[Rebl2]

27. Maybe democrats

should think twice about trying to save his speakership. What do you think?

[ancianita]

29. Agree. Dems should think twice. I'm sure Hakeem and Nancy are weighing likely outcomes.

[Chi67]

62. Not think twice

Think once and get him out.

[whopis01]

83. It is on the back. Written in sharpie. n/t

[Baitball Blogger]

11. We are in dangerous waters.

[BlueKota]

17. Well if they are intent on ignoring the rules of

fair play, then our side shouldn't have to play by them either.

[ancianita]

30. Not a good idea to succumb to their level of stupid vitriol. That's neither the party's nor Biden's style.

[BlueKota]

36. At some point, if they keep pushing the line, and the SC rules DT has immunity

somebody damn well better have the courage to stand up and defend the rest of us. Should we just sit back while they engineer a dictatorship like Germany did in WWII? We are dealing with people who are announcing they intend to do that, and are willing to break the law, cheat, and use violence to get what they want. Someone has to stop them before it's too late to stop them.

We can't keep just crossing our fingers and expect them to play nice just because we are.

[ancianita]

66. "If" tsf gets immunity from SCOTUS is not likely. It's not reasonable to live as if your hypothetical is fact.

This isn't about "engineering" a dictatorship. It's about ending The People's protections under rule of law so that they can do harm to those they round up as their so-called enemies.
It's not about who they are.
It's about who we are. We cannot treat them unlawfully. It's not who we are.

That's not "playing nice." It's about how adults have the agency to govern those who refuse to behave according to the rule of law -- it's why we have law enforcement, judges and courts.
That's what stops them. Not tit for tat, which shuts down any progress. Adults govern others the way they govern themselves; they keep the law to keep a just peace that descendants can thrive in. As Nancy says, "for the children."

No one who's like lawbreakers can stop them -- if they were, that's 'all against all,' reverting to some law of the jungle that can lead to political violence. Not to mention it feeds into corporate 'normalizing' of the worst behaviors of one group by messaging "See? Both sides do it!"

[BlueKota]

81. Not likely is not the same as won't

A lot of people said it was unlikely Roe would be overturned but guess what it was. All I am saying is if they give full immunity to him they will have lost all legitimacy. Then our side won't be able to depend on the courts for protection.

I am not saying we act on the hypothetical now, but we need to be prepared to act if the hypothetical becomes reality. Locke believed in the social contract(in our case the Constitution)and so do I. The contract is only worthwhile if both sides agree to honor it's terms. If one side violates those terms the other side is allowed to consider it broken. It would be like continuing to pay rent on an apartment you've been evicted from.

When January 6 happened I wrote to my European History professor. He said we should be okay as long as the courts hold, but my question is what happens if they don't hold?

Again we need a plan if they don't. Multiple possibilities and out comes need to be prepared for. It's like we hope our houses never catch on fire, but we still put in smoke detectors, have exit plans in place, 911, and the fire department's.

It's just common sense to be prepared for a potentially dangerous situation.

[ancianita]

82. Understood. Agree.

[prodigitalson]

23. while true, and we have been for some time, this is pathetic desperation

there is no way the speaker of the house is gonna do shit about a bunch of federal indictments much less his state court problems. tfg must have called and screamed at him... but he can't do shit. and saying he will isn't a good look in the long run

[myohmy2]

12. the Fuhrer...

...demands obedience...

...atta boy mikey...

...and January 6 was just an illusion...

[Happy Hoosier]

13. "Trump has done nothing wrong here"

Well, that's what the process is all about, isn't it? He was indicted by a Grand Jury, which is what the process calls for. And at trial, a jury of peers will actually determine of the prosecution proved its case. THAT is due process, not the Preacher of the House declaring that Trump "didn't do anything wrong."

[Justice matters.]

48. He is repeating what a minority of voters in the country believes from Fux Snooze.

The fascist cult leader told him to defend him. Thing is, he has zero powers to do what he said he will, but the minority of voters he deludes don't know he has zero powers to do it and they don't care. He tells them what they want to hear like when they watch Fux Snooze.

[CousinIT]

15. THREE WORDS

OBSTRUCTION
OF
JUSTICE

[BlueKota]

16. Hoping the White House gives a blistering response

[Hermit-The-Prog]

18. No need, really. Pervy Johnson can't interfere with the court.

[Traurigkeit]

19. Dark Brandon would be toying with a M134

[ShazzieB]

26. Please don't.

Please don't make jokes that connect Biden (or Dark Brandon) with a gun in ANY way.

That's not funny at all and in extremely poor taste, considering how many people die from gunfire in this country despite repeated Democratic-led (Republican-thwarted) attempts to pass sensible gun safety laws.

[Ponietz]

47. Thanks for saying this ShazzieB

[ShazzieB]

73. Glad to be of service.

I just couldn't NOT say something!

[BlueKota]

55. I don't want them dead unless it's natural causes.

They are basically not worth anyone getting charged with a crime for. Publicly humiliating them, banning them permanently from politics and government, and putting them in a tough prison for life for their crimes would satisfy me.

[emulatorloo]

53. I'd rather Biden met with Johnson behind closed doors and let him know how dumb he is.

[BaronChocula]

20. marjarumplestiltsgreene put him up to this

It makes sense that this was on her list of demands in exchange for pausing on the motion to vacate.

[FakeNoose]

46. Of course she did - her fingerprints are all over this mess

[prodigitalson]

21. hah, good fucking luck!

[NewHendoLib]

22. These fucking asshole repubs are really scraping the bottom.

[Ponietz]

49. They're masturbating in public now

Craven wretches

[usonian]

24. Mikey just made even MORE friends ...

Among Democratic reps, who are his only hope of staying on the job.
Among the judiciary, who know about separation of powers, and
Among high school civics teachers, who seem to know a ton more about government.

[3Hotdogs]

28. Until yesterday, D.U. posts indicated support for helping Johnson fend off M.T.G. What about you?

Do you still think they should?

[BlueKota]

41. Nope. Not after what he said today.

He made it obvious he's willing to give into the radicals.

[Chi67]

63. NO!

[louis-t]

31. The Hastert Rule? as in Dennis Hastert?

You mean, this guy?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dennis_Hastert#:~:text=Referring%20to%20Hastert%20as%20a,to%20serve%20a%20prison%20sentence.


Referring to Hastert as a "serial child molester", a federal judge imposed a sentence of 15 months in prison, two years' supervised release, and a $250,000 fine.[3][7] Hastert was imprisoned in 2016 and was released 13 months later;[8] he became the highest-ranking elected official in U.S. history to serve a prison sentence.[3]

[Ziggysmom]

32. Mr "No Bank Accounts" declared in his assets can go suck eggs.

[Fichefinder]

33. Leave Britney Alone!!!😭😭😭😭😭

[cstanleytech]

34. Well it's now confirmed that at the meeting with MTG that he was ordered to bow down and kiss Trump's ring.

Though I will admit that has to be better than tonguing Trump's asshole like Lindsey Graham does.

[KatyaR]

35. Is it bad that every time I hear TFG's name these days,

this is what I think of?

"Will no one rid me of this turbulent priest?"

I just want him to go away.

[barbtries]

38. he's a republican.

we're swirling down the drain.

[keithbvadu2]

39. Precisely what will you have Congress do, Mikey?

[GiqueCee]

40. Johnson has just exposed his incompetence...

... and his malicious determination to put Der Party before the country. Again. Biden did not bring charges against the Orange Bag of Ratshit, the DOJ did, and took their sweet-ass time doing it. Probably hoping that Trumpleforeskin would keep his stupid fucking mouth shut, and the whole thing would blow over. Nope.
The law means nothing to conservatives, unless it's the law of the vindictive and malevolent Old Testament Sky Daddy with serious anger management issues.
This idiotic pantload of bullshit was undoubtedly Empty Greene's price for not putting Johnson's head on a pike. But he may think such histrionics might help in the furtherance of his Christian Nationalist goals. Funny how every conservative plan to pervert the Constitution and rain hellfire and brimstone on those with the temerity to disagree with their fevered desire for a ruthless theocracy like Iran's, always has treason as the cornerstone of their diseased belief system.
Fuck 'em all. Fuck 'em all to death. They're the ones that always screech, "NO MERCY!" So they shouldn't expect any either.

[Picaro]

42. Talk about leaving your lane

By design Congress has no power over the judiciary.

These folks just don’t give a rip about the Constitution. They make it clear in word and deed every day.

[Seinan Sensei]

43. Wait ...

You mean,
Mikey is watching Stormy on TV?
Does Mikey’s social-media accountability partner (his son) know about this?

[electric_blue68]

44. Oh? Baaahahahahaaaaaaa!... STFU, Mikey.

[Tree Lady]

45. I guess its time for democrats

to stop helping him.

[Baitball Blogger]

50. Insurrection: The sequel.

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

51. He's trying to save his job

Nothing more. So much for the party of law and order.

[Aviation Pro]

52. Rule of law not your thing, huh, MAGAt Mike?

Stormy's testimony certainly shook you and the rest of MAGAt world to your motherfucking cores hasn't it, you un-American sack of shit.

[NowsTheTime]

54. Repubs plan comes to light......see also Cannon indefinite postpose classified docs trial.

[duckworth969]

56. Got his wish with Mar A Lago case...😡

[thesquanderer]

57. Justice Departments' response...

[dobleremolque]

58. Really Moses? How about you use Congress (actually

one half ... barely..., of one half, of one third of the federal government) to lower the price of gasoline? Or lower the price of groceries? Or raise taxes on billionaires? Do something genuinely constructive. Or I guess we'll have to wait until after November when you don't control (barely) one half of one half of one third of the national level of government.

[NJCher]

77. Wish I could rec this post

1000 times.

[marble falls]

59. Say good-bye to your gavel, asshole. You weren't going to hold it past this next election anyways.

[AllaN01Bear]

60. get off your duff and govern, or step asside.

[Chi67]

61. Oh hell no!

Johnson needs to GO! He needs to be deposed as speaker of the House. I agree with MTG now on at least one thing.

[Groundhawg]

64. FO johnson.

[Botany]

65. "President Trump has done nothing wrong here .... "

Well then V.S.P. should have nothing to worry about because the trial should prove
that to be the case. This makes me wonder just how many republicans were Trump
/Russia dirty? The GOP is part of a criminal organization. End of story.

[sinkingfeeling]

68. So, maybe Democrats don't need to save his ass from MTG's push to oust him.

[samsingh]

69. repugs are losing all pretense in equal justice

trump is their emperor and they are his bitches

[TeamProg]

70. Obstruction of justice. nt

[SomedayKindaLove]

71. Maybe he can get Jim Jordan to send out some fiery emails and make it all stop

Of course they are going to run and pull out all the stops, they are complicit in it all. And if Trump goes down, all his men can too. We are in dangerous waters indeed.

[Lancero]

72. Wonder if his cheerleaders here still think it's a great idea that we stuck our necks out to save him?

[elleng]

75. 'all the powers of Congress at his disposal to end all four current criminal prosecutions of ex-president Donald Trump.'

ZERO!!!

[SARose]

78. Hey Mike what did Jesus say about hypocrisy?

Matt 23.

Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples: 2 “The teachers of the law and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat. 3 So you must be careful to do everything they tell you. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach. 4 They tie up heavy, cumbersome loads and put them on other people’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to lift a finger to move them.

Mike ole buddy for someone so “religious” you fail to heed the words of your Savior. Jest sayin’.

Is it any wonder so many Americans reply “none” when asked about their religious affiliation?

[Historic NY]

79. Not federal and they would be pb

Obstructing Justice. The legal scholar Gym Jordan tried and told to sit down.

[lark]

84. OK, maybe the Dems should just let him go down.

This is what "howler monkey" got in exchange for not removing him.

Of course, none of them are being stopped except the ones that our fascist judges in SCOTUS and So FL. have stopped the cases dead in their tracks. They are dead certain that laws only apply to the poor, not to the rich fascists.