House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) was asked about his appearance at Donald Trump’s criminal trial in New York where the former president is accused of falsifying business to pay his money to an adult film star during the 2016 presidential election.
Johnson, a devout Christian who monitors his porn intake with his son, is among the several GOP lawmakers who attended the trial last week to show their support for the former president.
On Wednesday, Johnson was asked whether he is concerned about the allegations at the center of the case considering that he’s a self-avowed christian.
“What about the underlying alleged conduct of paying off a porn star to keep this extramarital affair quiet? You’re a deeply religious man, a moral man. Does that alleged conduct cause any concern about the former president?” CNN’s Manu Raju asked.
“Look, I’m not going — I’m not going to comment on that,” Johnson answered, before regurgitating MAGA talking points about Trump’s trials being ” political lawfare.”
Johnson faced criticism at the time for attending the trial, even from some members of the Republican Party.
“Have to admit I’m surprised that Speaker Johnson wants to be in the ‘I cheated on my wife with a porn star’ club,” Cheney wrote in a post on X/Twitter. “I guess he’s not that concerned with teaching morality to our young people after all.”
Sen. Mitt Romney (R-UT) said it is “demeaning” for Republicans to show up at the courthouse especially considering the charges against Trump.
“It’s really, really very difficult to watch,” Romney said. “There’s a level of dignity and decorum that you expect the people who are running for the highest station in the land, and going out and prostrating themselves in front of the public to try and, apparently, curry favor with the person who’s our nominee is embarrassing.”
