House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) is declaring former President Donald Trump “innocent” of the charges he is facing in his hush money trial.
On Tuesday, Johnson traveled to the courthouse where the trial is taking place in New York City and added his name to the list of Republican officials who attended part of the trial.
Speaking to reporters outside the courthouse, the top House Republican said, “The crime that they are accusing President Trump of is falsification of business records. But I think everybody knows, he is not the bookkeeper for his company.”
“President Trump is innocent of these charges. And again, anyone with common sense can understand what is happening here,” he added.
Watch the video below:
“The crime [prosecutors] are accusing President Trump of is falsification of business records. But I think everybody knows he is not the bookkeeper for his company. … It's all about politics.”
— The Recount (@therecount) May 14, 2024
— House Speaker Mike Johnson speaks outside Trump's hush money trial in New York pic.twitter.com/TlKNpBmlAK
Johnson derided the “ridiculous and unprecedented gag order” for the president, which he claims prevents Trump from defending himself from “political smears from his harshest critics at the most important time.”
“[Trump] is soon to be officially the nominee of one of the major parties in our country running for president. And they have him tied up here in this ridiculous prosecution that is not about justice. It is all about politics, and everybody can see that,” he added.
The gag order does not prevent the former president from defending himself from political smears or speaking about politics.
As The Associated Press notes, “A gag order bars Trump from commenting publicly on witnesses, jurors and some others connected to the matter. The New York judge already has found that Trump, the presumptive Republican nominee for president, repeatedly violated the order, fined him $9,000 and warning that jail could follow if he doesn’t comply.”
“But the order doesn’t stop Trump from talking about the allegations against him or commenting on the judge or the elected top prosecutor. And despite a recent Trump remark, it doesn’t stop him from testifying in court if he chooses,” it added.
Still, the case is not without its critics — even those who have been critical of Trump. On Sunday, CNN’s Fareed Zakaria said, ” I doubt the New York indictment would have been brought against a defendant whose name was not Donald Trump.”
