Trump Allies Attend NY Court Hearing

Several allies of former President Donald Trump came to the Manhattan courthouse where the former president’s criminal proceedings were being held this week as a show of support. This included several potential vice presidential picks.

The former president received personal support from North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum (R) at the proceedings Tuesday. The governor also joined Trump at a rally in New Jersey amid speculation that is on Trump’s shortlist for vice president.

Trump was also joined by stalwart backers Reps. Byron Donalds (R-FL) and Cory Mills (R-FL).

Also appearing Tuesday was House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA).

Trump lauded the support of his allies and told the press that “We have a lot of great people here to talk to you.”

On Monday, Sen. J.D. Vance (R-OH) arrived at the courthouse Monday and snapped a photo of the former president. He also called on Republicans to step up their criticism of the judge and proceedings of the case.

“This is about the fact that President Joe Biden has a failed record as commander in chief and leader of this country, and the Democrats can’t talk about that. So what they’re doing is putting these trials out there and saying, ‘Focus on this, not on the fact that the world is on fire and the fact that you’ve gotten poor under the presidency of Joe Biden,'” he said Sunday.

On Monday, the former president was also joined by Rep. Minole Malliotakis (R-NY) and Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-AL). His son Eric Trump was at the courthouse for both days of the proceedings.

Former Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy wrote on social media that the case was a “sham trial” intended to harm Trump and “green lit by his opponent, Joe Biden, and carried out at the highest levels of the White House and Department of Justice.”

This sham trial is a politically motivated assault on the leading candidate for U.S. President, green lit by his political opponent, Joe Biden, and carried out at the highest levels of the White House and Department of Justice. Joe Biden’s former number #3 at the Department…

— Vivek Ramaswamy (@VivekGRamaswamy) May 14, 2024

“No one has a clue what the alleged crime even is. The irony here is that the crime is supposedly about bad bookkeeping, but the real bookkeeping scandal is how to account for Judge Merchan’s own family members being paid millions of dollars by Democratic operatives,” Ramaswamy wrote.

“The American people will deliver the ultimate verdict in November: say NO to the weaponization of justice,” he added.