RNC embraces convicted felons at “law and order” convention
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Donald Trump at the Republican National Convention on July 16 in Milwaukee. Photo: Andrew Harnik/Getty Images
Former President Trump has cemented his position as the GOP's leader after months of political turbulence and becoming a convicted felon.
Why it matters: While the GOP has long declared itself the party of "law and order," this year's Republican National Convention tells a different story with several convicted felons being welcomed at the event.
- Addressing crime and restoring "law and order" are key pillars of the 2024 Republican Party platform.
State of play: Trump regularly says he has done nothing wrong and that the criminal cases he faces prove there is a two-tiered justice system that prosecutes politically conservative individuals differently than their left-leaning counterparts.
- Significant portions of Republican voters believe Trump's narrative and "therefore don't hold it against Trump," Mark Jones, a political science professor at Rice University, told Axios.
- "Then you have a smaller group that believes he did do something wrong, but is willing to overlook it given" the political stakes of the election, he said.
Zoom in: In the GOP, Trump's popularity means that the causes and issues he champions often become talking points for the entire party.
- "It is extremely difficult for any Republican politician to succeed without being at least ... moderately supportive of Trump," Jones said.
Between the lines: Support for Trump despite his convictions can also extend to his allies.
- Former Trump adviser Peter Navarro's appearance at the RNC on Wednesday night was greeted with a standing ovation. Navarro was released from federal prison just hours earlier, after serving a four-month sentence over actions related to the Jan. 6 Capitol riot.
- "I went to prison so you won't have to," Navarro told the audience. "I am your wake-up call."
Worth noting: The idea of a corrupt justice system was part of Tuesday night's RNC programming, partially themed toward making America safer.
- Reality star Savannah Chrisley — whose parents are serving time in prison for tax evasion and bank fraud — told the crowd that they had been "persecuted by rogue prosecutors in Fulton County."
- Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis is overseeing the election subversion case against Trump and 18 other defendants, but Chrisley's parents — Todd and Julie Chrisley — were convicted on federal charges filed by the Department of Justice in Georgia.
Zoom out: Other members of Trump's orbit likewise defy the GOP's "law and order" mantra. Most have attended the RNC this week.
- Ex-Trump adviser Steve Bannon reported to federal prison this month to begin serving a four-month sentence on contempt of Congress charges.
- Paul Manafort, Trump's 2016 campaign chairman was sentenced to 7.5 years in prison in 2019 as part of special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into possible Russian interference in the 2016 election.
- Trump pardoned Manafort in Dec. 2020, shortly before leaving office.
Yes, but: Despite voters' support for Trump and his legal woes, Jones doubts that willingness to look away extends to the former president's co-conspirators.
- That many Trump allies face their own legal woes likely "gives pause to a large number of Republicans, but ... it's tough for Republican leaders to criticize ... those individuals without being seen as, at least implicitly, critical of Trump."
The bottom line: Regardless of how GOP voters feel, Trump is set to accept the party's nomination tonight. Winning the November election is his best shot at overturning any convictions or halting other cases.
Go deeper: Trump's extraordinary run sets up RNC for the ages
