GOP lawmakers Gaetz, Boebert back Trump at Manhattan hush money trial

NEW YORK — A large group of Republican members of Congress showed up Thursday in a lower Manhattan court to show support for former President Donald Trump in his criminal trial for covering up hush money payments to porn star Stormy Daniels.

Led by Trump loyalists Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Florida, and Rep. Lauren Boebert, R-Colorado, nine GOP lawmakers trooped into the courtroom to back the party’s presumptive presidential nominee.

“We are 100% behind him!” Boebert tweeted.

Boebert sought to help Trump dodge the gag order in the case by repeating the former president’s attacks on Judge Juan Merchan’s daughter and mocking her for missing the trial.

“She’s probably too busy being paid millions and millions of dollars by Democrat campaigns all across the country and won’t be able to make it,” Boebert said.

Gaetz tweeted a photo of himself standing in the courtroom and echoed Trump’s message to the Proud Boys, a white nationalist group, during a 2020 debate with President Joe Biden.

“Standing back and standing by, Mr. President,” Gaetz tweeted.

Gaetz and Boebert sat in the front row next to Eric Trump, along with Rep. Bob Good, R-Virginia, who is chair of the far right-wing House Freedom Caucus. Others had to sit into the second row, while a couple had to find seats further back in the gallery.

The lawmakers watched as defense attorney Todd Blanche grilled ex-Trump attorney Michael Cohen on cross-examination for a second straight day.

Boebert ripped Cohen as a liar and said that he paid hush money to Daniels on his own without Trump’s say-so, a claim that has so far not been made by Trump or his attorneys.

“President Trump is being blamed for Cohen’s deeds,” Boebert added.

The gaggle of lawmakers amounted the largest group of Trump supporters to show up in court so far during the three weeks of the trial.

On Tuesday, House Speaker Mike Johnson made a cameo. Republicans who have been floated as possible Trump vice presidential running mates, including Sen. J.D. Vance, R-Ohio, North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum and biotech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, have also made the pilgrimage.