AFTERMATH: GOP implosion & D.A. Bragg’s warning following Trump indictment

AFTERMATH: GOP implosion & D.A. Bragg's warning following Trump indictment

The Republican Party has been flipping its collective lid over the former president’s indictment on charges stemming from allegedly falsified business records, presumably including but perhaps not limited to, records of hush money payments made to adult film star Stormy Daniels.

As of the morning after, their public freakout continues, and District Attorney Alvin Bragg is issuing a warning.

Aside from social media tantrums and right-wing news appearances to insist that everyone is unfair to Donald Trump and that the charges are purely political (although the indictment is sealed and the exact alleged crimes are, as yet, unknown), Republicans in Congress are also attempting to bully Bragg, demanding that he appear before a panel to explain his investigation, and threatening to defund his office.

In a new letter, Bragg’s office referenced Trump’s social media posts about “death and destruction,” as well as efforts by Congressional Republicans to intimidate or attack his office.

He’s already made it clear he doesn’t intend to compromise the process by giving testimony about an ongoing case, and this time, a representative from the D.A.’s office also made it clear that GOP efforts could have legal repercussions.

Leslie Dubeck, as general counsel, penned a warning scolding Republicans for “collaborat[ing]” with the former president in light of his indictment, and reminded them that Congressional Committees have no oversight over a criminal prosecution at the state level.

She also reiterated that her office will not be offering a “point-by-point rebuttal” because, “as you well know,” there are rules about releasing information about pending criminal proceedings, and issued a firm warning. Via Washington Post, emphasis added:

“Instead, you and many of your colleagues have chosen to collaborate with Mr. Trump’s efforts to vilify and denigrate the integrity of elected state prosecutors and trial judges and made unfounded allegations that the Office’s investigation…is politically motivated,” Dubeck wrote. “We urge you to refrain from these inflammatory accusations, withdraw your demand for information, and let the criminal justice process proceed without unlawful political interference.

However, it doesn’t appear that Representative Jim Jordan and his Judiciary Committee, at least, intend to take the warning to heart.

Thursday evening, a Fox News correspondent tweeted out a message that “senior House GOP sources” had said committees would back off until the arraignment next week, at least, and Jordan’s Judiciary Committee Twitter account responded by calling the release “fake news.”

Nor are Republicans taking a break from using the indictment and emotional manipulation for fundraising purposes — below, you’ll see Senator Lindsey Graham red-eyed and apparently near tears as he rants about the former president’s charges.

As for Trump, he’s still lashing out, too, with a morning-after social media post in which he makes certain his fans know the name of the judge on the case, and accuses him of coercing the Trump Organization’s former CFO, Allen Weisselberg, into a plea deal on a previous case, in which the CFO and company were found guilty of charges of criminal tax fraud and falsifying business records.

In the post, seen below, Trump claims that the judge “hates” him, “strong armed [sic]” Weisselberg, and “treated [Trump’s] companies…viciously.”

Here’s Graham, tearing up as he appears on Fox News, where he pled for viewers to send donations to Trump.

Rep. Jordan’s Judiciary Committee denies that the panel will be stepping back until the arraignment.

Stephanie Bazzle

Steph Bazzle is a news writer who covers politics and theocracy, always aiming for a world free from extremism and authoritarianism. Follow Steph on Twitter @imjustasteph. Sign up for all of her stories to be delivered to your inbox here: