
In the wake of former President Donald Trump’s conviction on all 34 counts of falsifying business records in his New York hush money trial, House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) has urged the Supreme Court to take action. Johnson’s comments, made during an appearance on “Fox & Friends,” reflect the growing frustration among Republicans following the jury’s decision.
“I do believe the Supreme Court should step in, obviously,” Johnson said. “This is totally unprecedented, and it’s dangerous to our system. We’ve all discussed this before and y’all talk about it all the time. This is diminishing the American people’s faith in our system of justice itself. And to maintain a republic, you have to have that. People have to believe that justice is fair, that there is equal justice under law.”
Johnson expressed his belief that the justices on the court, many of whom he knows personally, are deeply concerned about the situation. He acknowledged that the appeal process would take time but was confident that the conviction would be overturned.
Trump’s legal team has indicated their intention to appeal the verdict, with CNN senior legal analyst Elie Honig and criminal defense attorney Michael O’Mara suggesting that the appeal will likely focus on the unprecedented nature of the case and Judge Juan Merchan’s decision not to sequester the jury.
Johnson’s comments come as Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito faces criticism from Democratic lawmakers over controversies involving flags associated with right-wing movements flying at his homes. Many Democrats have called for Alito to recuse himself from January 6-related cases, a step he has thus far refused to take.
As Trump’s allies plot their next moves, including potential revenge against Democrats, with one prospective Trump attorney general candidate telling Axios that GOP prosecutors should go after Democrats in response, Johnson’s plea to the Supreme Court highlights the ongoing political and legal battles surrounding the former president’s conviction and the broader implications for the American justice system.