Trump merchandise sells, but no one buys Pence, say Republican convention attendees
Pence is preparing to speak at the North Carolina Republican Convention in Greensboro, before Trump takes the stage at the same event.
Before their comments, NBC News spoke with Gabby and Brandon Saxton, an Ohio couple who travel to Republican conventions across the country to sell collectible pins of presidential candidates.
The Saxtons said they «have not sold any Pence pins» thus far. «Almost Trump and DeSantis, it’s been 50/50,» Brandon said of his sales, adding that there has been a lack of interest in Pence pins. «because it’s not very popular.»
“Some people are not very happy with the way that he didn’t have Trump’s back when everything fell apart with the election,” he said.
Republican Sen. Mike Rounds: Trump’s impeachment should ‘concern us all’
Sen. Mike Rounds, RS.D., a vocal critic of Trump’s unsubstantiated claims of voter fraud, said the federal impeachment against the former president «should concern all of us.»
Rounds, who did not mention Trump by name, said in a statement that it was «unacceptable that confidential information, which could undermine our national strategy, has been treated so carelessly by current and former members of the executive branch.»
«At the same time,» Rounds continued, «I am concerned about the Justice Department’s decision to pursue this case against the former president at a time when our current president also admitted to possessing classified documents while away.» office.»
The South Dakota Republican was citing a separate special counsel review of classified materials found at Joe Biden’s Delaware residence and a Washington office he used during his time as vice president.
Rounds has endorsed Senator Tim Scott of South Carolina in the 2024 Republican presidential primary.
Tennessee Democrat says document case makes Nixon ‘look like a choirboy’
The federal indictment against Trump makes «Richard Nixon look like a choirboy,» Rep. Steve Cohen, D-Tennessee, said on MSNBC’s «The Katie Phang Show» this morning.
“Watergate was the worst thing that happened to the presidency in our history,” said the lawmaker and staunch Trump critic. But the crimes alleged in Trump’s indictment are «much worse.»
Cohen also criticized Rep. Andy Biggs, R-Ariz., who tweeted Friday that the indictment in the Trump classified documents case means the United States is now in a «war phase.» Cohen called that bellicose comment «unpatriotic.»
McCarthy: House Republicans ‘will get the answers Americans deserve’
House Speaker Kevin McCarthy doubled down on his support for Trump on Saturday, vowing in a video posted on Twitter that House Republicans «will get the answers Americans deserve.»
“In America, one of our greatest strengths is equal justice and today it shows that it is not,” McCarthy said, comparing Trump’s classified documents case to the federal investigation into Joe Biden’s handling of classified documents.
McCarthy said he has already spoken with Reps. James Comer, Chairman of the House Oversight Committee, and Jim Jordan, Chairman of the Judiciary Committee, about «things we could do to ensure equal justice.»
Jordan, in an apparent effort to discredit federal investigators, has lobbied the Justice Department for documents related to special counsel Jack Smith’s investigation into Trump’s handling of classified documents.
Comer and Jordan have also conducted a series of investigations into the Biden family’s business dealings since House Republicans took over the chamber earlier this year. The White House has criticized these investigations, arguing that they are politically motivated and designed to hurt Biden’s re-election chances.
Trump Campaign to Release Impeachment Fundraising Figures Saturday
The Trump campaign said it intends to release the impeachment’s fundraising figures on Saturday.
In March, the former president’s campaign announced it had raised $4 million 24 hours after a New York grand jury voted to indict him in connection with hush money payments that were made ahead of the 2016 presidential election.
This time, in the case of classified documents, we have not yet seen such bragging. The Trump campaign, however, has been sending out fundraising emails and selling T-shirts since the former president’s second indictment on Thursday.
Pence to speak at event in North Carolina hours before Trump
Former Vice President Mike Pence is scheduled to speak at the North Carolina Republican convention this afternoon, hours before his former running mate takes the stage at the same event.
Pence, who announced his own run for president this week, criticized the Justice Department’s decision to indict Trump in the government documents investigation, but has also avoided speaking to reporters since news of the indictment.
After asking Attorney General Merrick Garland to unseal the indictment before it was made public on Friday, Pence has yet to comment on its content.
Speaking in New Hampshire on Friday before the indictment was unsealed, Pence said: «Everyone can make their own judgment as to whether or not this was an appropriate action or whether or not it is yet another example of the politicization and use of guns. that has taken place in the Department». Justice in recent years.
Trump will make his first public appearances since impeachment
The former president has two long-planned speech events on Saturday that will be his first public appearances since he was impeached on Thursday.
Trump is scheduled to address the Georgia Republican convention at 2:30 p.m., followed by remarks at the North Carolina Republican convention four hours later.
Former Vice President Mike Pence, who launched his own presidential campaign this week, is scheduled to speak at the North Carolina convention earlier in the day.
