Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) said he was flabbergasted that Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) made an appearance at former President Trump’s hush money trial in New York this week, slamming House Republicans who showed up as greedy for power.
Schiff was asked by MSNBC’s Alex Wagner on Thursday evening about his thoughts on the gaggle of Republican lawmakers who traveled to Manhattan to support the former president as he sits in court.
“I have so many thoughts and let me start with the Speaker because, I have to say, I was flabbergasted that he would go and make that pilgrimage, stand outside that courthouse and lie about what was going on inside the building,” Schiff said.
“It’s bad enough that he lacks the self-respect that he feels he needs to go and kiss the ring in such a public and debasing way, but also for him to denigrate the justice system, for him to make the knowingly false claim that this trial was designed to keep Trump off the campaign trial, he knows better than that,” Schiff continued.
Johnson’s appearance at the courthouse Tuesday stirred up controversy in the House. In an interview Wednesday, the Speaker defended his actions, calling Trump’s trial “an atrocity.”
Many other House Republicans, several senators and even former GOP presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy showed up to support the presumptive GOP presidential nominee and say the trial is interfering with Trump’s campaign. The trial has kept Trump in New York for much of this week, preventing him from campaigning around the country.
Schiff was asked about his recent vote to save Johnson from an ousting from his party. He said he doesn’t regret voting to retain Johnson.
The Democrat said he cast his vote for two reasons. One, the House needs a leader to be able to get things done. Two, he said he didn’t believe it was right to oust him over the aid for Ukraine.
“So, for both those reasons, I don’t have any regrets. But I have to say, it’s still difficult to stomach when you see him do what he did, standing in front of the courthouse,” Schiff said.
He went a step further, saying no one in the House Republican conference has “any real commitment” to the Constitution or a system of justice.
“It’s all about keeping power, gaining power, and no debasement too great before … their supreme leader,” Schiff said.