议员游行队伍前往纽约支持前总统唐纳德·特朗普对川普的封口费审判周四继续进行，几名极右翼国会议员站在法庭上与川普站在一起。
他们包括众议员安迪·比格斯、劳伦·博伯特、迈克尔·克劳德、伊莱·克莱恩，马特·盖兹、鲍勃·古德、戴安娜·哈什巴格尔、安娜·保利娜·卢娜、拉尔夫·诺曼和安迪·奥格尔斯。
盖兹和博伯特坐在前排，就在特朗普后面。
在曼哈顿中央大街100号外对记者发表讲话时，议员们轮流坚定地为前总统辩护，并攻击证人甚至陪审团——根据法官的规定，特朗普不得这样做禁言令.
愤怒的盖兹指责证人席上的迈克尔·科恩，称他为“骗子”，并暗示陪审团“非常欣赏”他。盖兹还将矛头指向法官胡安·马尔康，称他“腐败”。
盖茨说:“这是一起编造的罪行。“该国没有其他美国人会被指控犯有此类罪行。“
据消息人士透露，盖兹目前正在接受众议院道德委员会的调查，指控包括性行为不端、非法吸毒和潜在的公共腐败。这位佛罗里达州共和党人否认了所有不当行为。
特朗普正面临与2016年封口费向成人电影女演员斯托米·丹尼尔斯付款有关的重罪指控。他对34项指控不认罪，指控他在2016年大选前伪造商业记录，以向选民隐瞒与丹尼尔斯的所谓性接触。他否认有任何不当行为。
一些议员还重复了特朗普的声明，称这起针对他的案件是为了让他远离竞选活动或干预2024年大选而做出的一致努力。
“这是一场歪曲、虚假的审判，试图伤害即将成为美国总统的被提名人，无论他们是否喜欢或是否希望这种情况发生，”众议员古德说。
博伯特说:“我有消息要告诉激进左翼和武器化的DOJ:川普总统哪儿也不会去。”“他将再回来呆四年。我们也不会去任何地方。我们在这里与他站在一起，因为他为你们美国人民挺身而出。”
该组织的纽约之行正值国会山的共和党人采取行动推进针对司法部长梅里克·加兰的藐视法庭决议。众议院司法和监督委员会(House Judiciary and Oversight Committee)原定于上午举行听证会，审议藐视法庭指控，但监督委员会将其会议改在周四晚上举行，因为其几位成员(包括克劳德、比格斯和伯特)出席了特朗普的审判。
他们的访问也是在众议院议长·迈克·约翰逊露面几天后进行的。
约翰逊是迄今为止出席审判的最受瞩目的议员，是总统继承人中的第二位。
“我告诉他，我想亲自来这里呼吁什么是对正义的嘲弄，”约翰逊说，“特朗普总统是我的朋友，我想在这里支持他。”
在周四的诉讼程序中，检察官苏珊·霍夫芬格向法官抱怨说，在盖兹在交叉询问过程中走进法庭后，政治随行人员为特朗普出席了审判。
特朗普的律师托德·布兰奇说:“法官大人，当我盘问证人时，我对我身后的任何人或任何事都没有任何控制权。”
Matt Gaetz, Lauren Boebert are latest loyalists to appear at Trump's New York trial
The parade of lawmakers traveling toNew Yorkto support former PresidentDonald Trumpduring his hush money trial continued Thursday, with several far-right members of Congress standing with Trump at the courthouse.
They included Reps. Andy Biggs, Lauren Boebert, Michael Cloud, Eli Crane,Matt Gaetz, Bob Good, Diana Harshbarger, Anna Paulina Luna, Ralph Norman and Andy Ogles.
Gaetz and Boebert were seated in the front row, just behind Trump.
Speaking to reporters outside Manhattan's 100 Centre Street, the lawmakers took turns staunchly defending the former president and attacking witnesses and even the jury -- something Trump is barred from doing under the judge'sgag order.
A fired-up Gaetz went after Michael Cohen, who was on the witness stand, calling him a "liar" and suggesting the jury had a "great appreciation" for him. Gaetz also took aim at Judge Juan Merchan, describing him as "corrupt."
"This is a made-up crime," Gaetz said. "No other American in the country would be charged with this type of crime."
Gaetz is currently under investigation by the House Ethics Committee over allegations that include sexual misconduct, illicit drug use and potential public corruption, according to sources. The Florida Republican has denied all wrongdoing.
Trump is facing felony charges related to a 2016 hush money payment to adult film actress Stormy Daniels. He pleaded not guilty to a 34-count indictment charging him with falsifying business records in order to hide an alleged sexual encounter with Daniels from voters just before the 2016 election. He denies any wrongdoing.
Some lawmakers also repeated Trump's statements labeling the case against him a concerted effort to keep him off the campaign trail or interfere in the 2024 election.
"This is a crooked, sham trial to try to hurt the nominee who is going to be the president of the United States whether or not they like it or whether or not they want that to happen," Rep. Good said.
"I got news for the radical left and the weaponized DOJ: President Trump is not going anywhere," Boebert said. "He is coming back for another four years. And we are not going anywhere either. We are here to stand with him as he stands up for you, the American people."
The group's trip to New York came as Republicans on Capitol Hill moved to advance a contempt resolution against Attorney General Merrick Garland. The House Judiciary and Oversight Committee had scheduled morning hearings to consider the contempt charge, though the Oversight Committee changed its session to Thursday evening as several of its members (including Cloud, Biggs and Boebert) were at the Trump trial.
Their visit also came days after House Speaker Mike Johnson made an appearance.
Johnson is the most high-profile lawmaker to attend the trial to date, as second in the presidential line of succession.
MORE: Speaker Johnson defends Trump outside 'sham' New York trial
"I told him I wanted to be here myself to call out what is a travesty of justice," Johnson said, "President Trump is a friend and I wanted to be here to support him."
During Thursday's proceedings, prosecutor Susan Hoffinger complained to the judge about the political entourage attending the trial for Trump after Gaetz walked into court in the middle of cross-examination.
"Your Honor, I have less than zero control over what is happening on anything or anyone that's behind me when I am crossing a witness," Trump's attorney Todd Blanche said.
