No one should think that Trump's 'surrogates' are mere 'members of the public'

[Nevilledog]

https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/maddowblog/trump-surrogates-hush-money-trial-rcna152894

Two weeks ago, shortly after the media took notice of former President Donald Trump’s lack of familial or other support at his ongoing criminal trial, his son Eric first came to New York to observe the proceedings. Since then, the courtroom has transformed into a “Who’s Who of ‘Who’s That?’” — a veritable parade of familiar-looking faces whose names might be only dimly recalled, even by the GOP faithful.

At least judging by appearances, Trump world has adopted a new mantra: If the court keeps the candidate from campaigning, the candidate will bring the campaign to the court. That’s likely why, over the last several trial days, Trump’s rotating tableau of supporters has included Sens. J.D. Vance and Tommy Tuberville; Reps. Byron Donalds, Nicole Malliotakis, Matt Gaetz and Lauren Boebert; state attorneys general Brenna Bird (Iowa) and Steve Marshall (Alabama); and even former GOP presidential rival Vivek Ramaswamy.

But they aren’t just “standing back and standing by,” as Gaetz proclaimed, calling back to Trump’s infamous shoutout to the Proud Boys. Instead, those whom Trump has publicly acknowledged as his “surrogates” have assumed a more insidious — and even potentially unlawful — role, even if Trump lawyer Todd Blanche has maintained in court they are simply “members of the public” outside of his control.

To be fair, I don’t doubt that Blanche (or any other member of Trump’s legal team) lacks control over his client’s surrogates. But I’ve also been at the trial every day, either in the courtroom or in the overflow courtroom, and the suggestion that Trump’s surrogates are merely “members of the public,” given the observable circumstances of their visits, can and should be punctured.

*snip*