Mike Johnson reveals 'three-pronged approach' to challenge judiciary after Trump's hush money conviction
WASHINGTON, DC: Speaker Mike Johnson unveiled a "three-pronged approach" aimed at challenging the justice system following the conviction of Donald Trump in the hush money trial.
In his announcement on Tuesday, June 4, the speaker revealed that he plans to address the perceived issues in the justice system in the wake of the former president's recent conviction, according to The Hill.
What is Mike Johnson's three-pronged approach to take on justice system?
Outlining his plan, Johnson stated that it would involve leveraging the appropriations process, introducing specific legislation, and using Congress's oversight authority to confront the actions of the Justice Department.
In a press conference announcing his plan, Johnson said, “All those things will be happening vigorously, because we have to do that, because the stakes are too high and because people are losing faith in our institutions."
“And that, at the end of the day, is something that should concern every single one of us. And I think it does," he added.
Donald Trump's hush money case conviction
Johnson's challenge against the justice system comes a week after Trump was found guilty on all 34 counts of falsifying business documents to conceal a hush money payment of $130,000 to former adult film actress Stormy Daniels before the 2016 election.
Republicans including Johnson, have strongly criticized the verdict, accusing Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg of bias and slammed the prosecution's key witness Michael Cohen as they questioned his reliability.
Republican's strategy after Donald Trump's conviction
House Republicans have started implementing elements of their three-pronged approach.
Jim Jordan, House Judiciary Committee Chair, recently announced he would summon Bragg and Matthew Colangelo, another prosecutor on the New York hush money case to testify about “the unprecedented political prosecution” of Trump.
On Monday, June 3, Jordan sent a letter to House Appropriations Committee Chair Tom Cole requesting several “reforms” in the government funding process in 2024.
These reforms include cutting non-essential funding for the FBI, eliminating federal funding for “state prosecutors or state attorneys general involved in lawfare” and removing federal funding for federal prosecutors participating in perceived abuses.
Reiterating his stance against the prosecution, Johnson claimed that Trump's conviction was an attempt by Democrats to undermine the 77-year-old former president's bid for another term in the White House.
Citing polls showing Trump leading Biden in key states, the speaker said, “They see this happening, and they’re so desperate to stop them that they are willing to use the judicial system to do so."
“It is a new low. And it’s a dangerous one. They’re eroding the people’s faith in our system of justice itself," he continued.
"As [House Republican Leader Steve Scalise] said, people have to believe that justice is blind. You have to believe that there is equal justice under the law in order to maintain a constitutional republic,” said Johnson.
“This goes to the very core of who we are. The foundation of who we are as a nation, and that’s why it’s bigger than just President Trump. It’s bigger than just these cases. It’s about our system itself. And because of that there is a backlash," he added.
