Former President Donald Trump pleaded Wednesday with congressional Republicans to thwart the criminal trials he is facing while he campaigns against President Biden.
Mr. Trump posted on Truth Social that the cases “must be stopped” for the “good of the country.”
“The Crooked Joe Biden Witch Hunts have to be ended. REPUBLICANS IN WASHINGTON MUST TAKE ACTION!” he posted.
It is unclear what Capitol Hill allies could do to assist Mr. Trump with the patchwork of state cases and federal charges brought by special counsel Jack Smith.
Some GOP lawmakers are investigating Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis and her relationship with a special prosecutor who was forced to quit the election subversion case against Mr. Trump in Georgia. House Republicans also have looked for ways to strip Mr. Smith’s office of federal money so he cannot fund his cases, though Democrats, who control the Senate and the White House, would block such a move.
Mr. Trump vented the morning after a difficult day in a Manhattan courtroom. State Supreme Court Judge Juan Merchan told Mr. Trump‘s lawyer that he was losing credibility with the court during an argument over Mr. Trump‘s alleged violations of a gag order.
Later, former tabloid executive David Pecker described from the witness stand how the National Enquirer served as a kind of extension of the Trump campaign in 2015 and 2016 by running positive stories about Mr. Trump and buying up negative stories so they would not see the light of day.
Also Wednesday, Mr. Trump criticized Judge Merchan, who is not covered by the gag order, as being too sympathetic to Democrats.
“We have a Rigged Judge, who is working for the Democrat Party and refuses to terminate this ‘case,’ which should have never been brought by Soft on Crime Alvin Bragg,” he posted. “Judge Merchan should immediately [be] removed, and the Appellate Courts have to take over.”
The trial was not to convene on Wednesday. It will resume Thursday with more testimony from Mr. Pecker.
Mr. Trump faces 34 felony counts of falsifying business records. Prosecutors argue that hush-money payments near the 2016 election amounted to a conspiracy that involved false ledger entries and lies to banks, triggering election and tax offenses.
Mr. Trump has pleaded not guilty.
“They’re after me because a bookkeeper marked down ‘Legal Expense’ in a Ledger when describing Legal Fees paid to a lawyer,” Mr. Trump posted. “What else would you call it? The Biden Thugs call it Falsifying Business Records.”
If convicted, the offenses are punishable by up to four years in prison, though legal experts doubt Mr. Trump would see prison time given the nature of the offense and his lack of a criminal record.
• Tom Howell Jr. can be reached at thowell@washingtontimes.com.
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