Individuals Risk Penalties for Discussing Trump's Congressional Trials
The rules in the United States Congress are peculiar, some dating back centuries. This situation favors Donald Trump, a convicted felon whose actions the Republicans ardently defend. In the House of Representatives, they've imposed a controversial speaking ban on him.
It may sound ridiculous, but it's true. In the land of the First Amendment, members of Congress in Washington cannot officially discuss it: Trump is a known criminal. Politicians are expected to avoid this topic. Why? The Republicans hold a majority in the House, and have silenced all members using a pro-campaign gag order. Anyone who defies this could face penalties. They demonstrated this recently when they punished a few members. The Democrats are enraged.
All members are up for re-election in November - and they maintain the pretense of normalcy. Something that the entire world recognizes, is becoming taboo. The conflict in Washington over what can even be spoken about mirrors a campaign entering a new chapter this week with the television debate between Trump and Joe Biden. It also underscores the subservience of the Republican Party to its chosen presidential candidate.
There are traditional rules in the House of Representatives that have been in place for centuries: formal speeches are important, no one present should be directly addressed, and political rivals should not be verbally attacked. These rules can be altered by the majority, as done in this case. Calling Trump a criminal, according to the Democrats, is a fact. The other court cases are simply facts.
Gag Order for a Day
"I can't think of any other instance where facts have been forbidden," said Democrat Jamie Raskin, who serves on the Oversight Committee. The gag order is "Orwellian," a reference to the severe speech restrictions depicted in George Orwell's dystopian novel "1984." The Republicans have repeatedly admonished Democrats in recent weeks not to mention names or convictions, reports the "New York Times." Everything that members of Congress say in the chamber is supposedly recorded for posterity.
Jim McGovern's comments are no longer accessible. The Democrat from Massachusetts had criticized Trump in the House chamber before the verdict: "There's a designated candidate with 88 indictment points against him, and we can't even mention it," he exclaimed, and listed the judgments and accusations of various court cases against Trump until he concluded: "But in this Republican-controlled House, one can speak about [the hush money case], but must call it a sham trial."
A Republican raised an objection. The chairman consulted and eventually struck McGovern's remarks. As punishment, he was also barred from speaking for the rest of the day. The reason: A designated presidential candidate should be treated the same as an incumbent president. Criticism of political positions is allowed among Republicans, but not accusations, innuendos, or actual illegal activities.
This rule does not always apply to Joe Biden, who has been accused of misdeeds in the House of Representatives on multiple occasions, without any evidence or conviction. The Democrats responded angrily and threatened to continue discussing Trump's court cases, though sometimes discreetly. Raskin recently mentioned an "unutterable American criminal, one of 19 million in the country," and a "reckless and anonymous convicted criminal from New York." The hush money trial should be allowed to disappear, "to spare someone's tender feelings," he said cynically.
The Democrat is, in fact, one of Trump's most ardent critics, repeatedly attacking the Republican and his supporters in Congress. "We swear an oath to the Constitution, not to a person or a party, or the interests of a Sugar Daddy billionaire, but that's exactly what's happening right now," he said in mid-June. The Republicans welcomed Trump for the first time since the January 6, 2021, insurrection in the Congress.
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In the midst of preparations for the US presidential election in 2024, the ongoing silencing of discussions about Donald Trump's legal issues in the House of Representatives continues. Despite being a convicted felon, members of Congress are cautioned against openly discussing Trump's criminal status due to the Republican-imposed gag order. This regulation was recently enforced on Democrat Jim McGovern, who was prohibited from speaking in the House chamber after criticizing Trump.
As the US presidential race heats up, the Republican Party's allegiance to Donald Trump is evident in the House's handling of his legal affairs. Despite multiple accusations against Joe Biden in the House, the Democrats face no comparable restrictions in speaking about his alleged misdeeds, highlighting the disparity in treatment between the two political figures.
