GOP rep on Trump targeting judge’s daughter: ‘Families should always be off-limits’

GOP rep on Trump targeting judge’s daughter: ‘Families should always be off-limits’ | The Hill Skip to content

Rep. Mike Lawler, R-N.Y., listens during an event at SUNY Westchester Community College, Wednesday, May 10, 2023, in Valhalla, N.Y. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

Republican Rep. Mike Lawler (N.Y.) on Sunday said “families should always be off-limits” after former President Trump lashed out at the daughter of the Manhattan judge overseeing his hush money trial

When asked on CNN’s “State of the Union” if Trump’s recent attacks against the judge, the judge’s daughter and President Biden crossed a line, Lawler said, “Look, I think, obviously, the former president has every right to defend himself in court. He has every right to defend himself as — through the proper legal channels.”

“I think everyone needs to tone down the rhetoric, the language. And, obviously, social media has become a vehicle by which to bludgeon people,” he added. “I just think, at the end of the day, the former president, current president, and on down, all of us have a responsibility to check our language, to watch what we’re saying, and to focus on the issues at hand.”

Trump came under fire last week, when he attacked Judge Juan Merchan, who recently imposed a gag order against the former president in the hush money case. Trump also targeted Merchan’s daughter, Loren, who is a Democratic political consultant.

Loren Merchan was an executive at progressive political consulting firm Authentic Campaigns, which worked on campaigns for various Democrat leaders including including Vice President Harris, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) and Biden — Trump’s main 2024 opponent.

The former president on Truth Social posted a lengthy rant last week reacting to an account on X, formerly Twitter, that initially appeared to belong to the judge’s daughter and had a photo illustration of an imprisoned Trump as its profile picture.

The New York state Office of Court Administration (OCA) said last week the account was no longer associated with Loren Merchan, adding that she deleted the account approximately one year ago.

“State of the Union” co-anchor Dana Bash on Sunday also pointed to a video Trump posted to his Truth Social account last week of a truck displaying a printed photo of Biden apparently lying sideways tied up.

Lawler continued to