Eric Swalwell Scolds 'Do-Nothing' Republicans Playing Hooky From Hearing For Trump

Ben Blanchet
·2 min read
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Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.) derided “do-nothing” Republicans for attending Donald Trump’s hush money trial instead of going to a hearing on whether to hold Attorney General Merrick Garland in contempt of Congress on Thursday.

A gaggle of House Republicans — including Reps. Matt Gaetz (Fla.), Bob Good (Va.) and Ralph Norman (S.C.) — flocked to support the former president at the Manhattan courthouse.

Swalwell joked that it was “nice to see” the Republicans who could make it to the GOP-led House Judiciary Committee’s hearing, adding, “I don’t know if that means there weren’t enough seats in the courtroom in New York.”

“But, I know that the Oversight Committee canceled a hearing that was supposed to happen right now on this matter so that they could be at the president’s trial,” he said.

He continued, “I know some members will miss this vote because they want to be at the president’s trial and I don’t think anything could animate the phrase ‘Do-Nothing Congress’ more than missing votes and canceling hearings to go up and be a spectator at your cult leader’s trial. That is the definition of ‘Do-Nothing Congress.’”

The House Republicans’ trip to New York included Gaetz echoing Trump’s infamous call to the extremist Proud Boys group. “Standing back and standing by, Mr. President,” Gaetz wrote on social media alongside an image of himself behind Trump at trial.

Rep. Andy Biggs (R-Ariz.), who spoke at a Proud Boys-sponsored rally earlier this year, also appeared with Gaetz outside the Manhattan courthouse.

The two Republicans were absent as the House Judiciary Committee voted along party lines to advance measures to hold Garland in contempt of Congress. The House Oversight Committee, which pushed its hearing to later in the day, did the same.

Republicans are targeting Garland over his refusal to turn over audio recordings of President Joe Biden’s interviews with former special counsel Robert Hur, who investigated Biden’s handling of classified documents after he was vice president.

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