U.S. Representative Jim McGovern (D-MA) today on the House floor said: “We have a presumptive nominee for president facing 88 felony counts and we’re being prevented from even acknowledging it. These are not alternative facts, these are real facts.”
He added, “A candidate for the United States is on trial for sending a hush money payment to a porn star to avoid a sex scandal during his 2016 campaign, and then fraudulently disguising those payments in violation of the law.”
McGovern added: “He’s also charged with conspiring to overturn the election. He’s also charged with stealing classified information. And a jury has already found him liable for rape in a civil court. And yet in this Republican-controlled House, it’s okay to talk about the trial but you have to call it a sham.” That’s when Rep. Erin Houchin (R-IN) interrupted McGovern and said: “Take down his words. Mr. Speaker, I demand that his words be taken down.”
Republicans just banned me from speaking on the House Floor for the rest of the day because I listed Trump’s trials.
I didn’t say he was guilty, I just stated the fact that they exist—and for that I was silenced.
Apparently, Republicans are allowed to say that Trump’s trial is… https://t.co/ajpmtxAze1
— Rep. Jim McGovern (@RepMcGovern) May 22, 2024
After his time on the floor, McGovern wrote: “Republicans just banned me from speaking on the House Floor for the rest of the day because I listed Trump’s trials. I didn’t say he was guilty, I just stated the fact that they exist—and for that I was silenced. Apparently, Republicans are allowed to say that Trump’s trial is a sham, and the judge is corrupt and the jury is rigged. But it’s against the rules for me to even acknowledge that the trials exist.”
Mike Harvey, who is running for Florida State Senate District 23, replied to McGovern: “The republicans are allowed to say whatever they want as the silence their opposition. Just ask Marjorie Taylor Greene. It’s in the dictatorship handbook. Gear up for even less free speech and a possible constitutional rewrite, as Trump wins the White House if Democrats don’t engage.”
Note: Last week, Republican Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene (GA) remade a snarky remark regarding the appearance of Democratic Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett (TX) and refused to apologize.