A new group of elected GOP officials in blue suits and red ties today attended the criminal trial of former President Donald Trump in Manhattan, where the presumptive GOP nominee faces 34 felony counts for allegedly falsifying documents to cover up payments to adult film star Stormy Daniels prior to the 2016 presidential election.
Outside the courtroom in front of the press, Texas Lt. Governor Dan Patrick waved his finger at members of the press and said: “What happens when the courts come after you because you said something that the ruling class didn’t like? That’s what these other countries are all about. They shut down the ruling class. They want to be sure that anyone who speaks up against ruling class disappears.”
When a reporter asked “Isn’t the former president a member of the ruling class?” Patrick raged, “No! You know what, Donald Trump is not the ruling class.”
Patrick: What happens when the courts come after you because you said something that the ruling class didn’t like? That’s what these other countries are all about. They shut down the ruling class. They want to be sure that anyone who speaks up against ruling class disappears… pic.twitter.com/YGYXUlr6Q5
— Acyn (@Acyn) May 21, 2024
Note: The ruling class of a capitalist society is the social, cultural and economic class that sets and decides the political and economic agenda of society. Even when not in the White House, Trump — a billionaire and former TV star — continues to wield the kind of vast influence commensurate with a member of the ruling class. Trump, for example, has taken credit for influencing the positions of congressional Republicans — he told them not to vote on border security because it would give President Biden an advantage this election year — and also claims the stock market is doing great “BECAUSE MY POLLS AGAINST BIDEN ARE SO GOOD THAT INVESTORS ARE PROJECTING THAT I WILL WIN.”
Often the ruling class of a society exercises its power behind the scenes. In July 2023, Texas A&M suspended Professor Joy Alonzo, who was accused of criticizing Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick during a lecture in which she raised questions about his role in the opioid crisis. After an internal investigation which “could not confirm any wrongdoing,” Texas A&M allowed Alonzo to keep her job.