'Era of good feelings': Republicans vow not to let Trump's looming indictment ... trends now
We won't be distracted - that's the message House Republicans want to double down on as former President Donald Trump remains on the verge of being indicted by the Manhattan District Attorney.
GOP members descended on the plush Orlando JW Marriott for a three-day retreat to celebrate their accomplishments and talk about their priorities moving forward.
But since the rocky start to their newfound control in the House, GOP members now insist they are entering a new 'era of good feelings' -- and won't let the former president and his chronic legal battles divide them.
Now at nearly every media availability at the retreat, Republicans have ticked off policy plays on China, energy, crime and education and reporters have forced them on the record on Trump.
Just after the bombshell indictment revelation Republican leadership offered a fierce defense of the former president. Now they are trying to shrug him off, and insisting members don't talk about him behind closed doors.
GOP members descended on the plush Orlando JW Marriott for a three-day retreat to celebrate their accomplishments and talk about their priorities moving forward
Trump and his potential indictment loomed large over the House GOP retreat
On Sunday, day one of the yearly agenda retreat, Speaker Kevin McCarthy said he didn't think people should protest, and insisted Trump's calls to do just that were 'misinterpreted.'
On day three, the speaker praised reporters for waiting at least until after the first question to interrogate him on Trump.
'We're not talking about this in our conference,' he insisted of the Trump matter. 'You're just asking about it. It only dominates your asking.'
'We're not here to defend President Trump,' McCarthy said. 'What we're here to defend equal justice in America.'
A law enforcement official told DailyMail.com a Trump indictment won't come until Wednesday at the earliest.
McCarthy said he hadn't spoken to Trump in about three weeks - and has not communicated with him about Bragg's investigation. GOP Conference Chair Elise Stefanik said she spoke with Trump on the phone Monday morning.
Rep. Dusty Johnson (R-SD), the chair of the center-right Main Street Caucus who has been more hesitant to come to Trump's defense, backed up McCarthy's claims.
'It's not something we're talking about,' the South Dakota Republican told DailyMail.com in a sit-down interview at the adjacent Ritz-Carlton.
'So we're certainly not -- it's not overshadowing our work in the room,' South Dakota's at-large Republican said. 'It's what the media wants to talk about when we walk out.'
Asked to respond to the allegations of improper hush money payments paid by Trump's personal attorney to Stormy Daniels, Speaker McCarthy pointed to Hillary Clinton's 2016 presidential campaign, and the Democratic National Committee - they were both fined for not properly disclosing the money they spent on opposition research related to the Trump-Russia dossier.
'This was personal money, wasn't trying to hide, this was seven years ago, statute of limitations,' McCarthy said, referring back to the Daniels payment. 'I think in your heart of hearts, you know, too, that you think this is just political.'
At one point, McCarthy was asked if Trump was still the 'leader of your party.'
'In the press room for all of you he is,' the California Republican fired back.
'We're not here to defend President Trump,' McCarthy said. 'What we're here to defend equal justice in America.'
McCarthy listed off the House GOP accomplishments of the first three months: voting in a bill to claw back $80 billion from the IRS, establishing a select committee on China, ending proxy voting, voting to protect the Strategic Petroleum Reserve and forcing the president's first veto on a bill opposing ESG investing -- the forthcoming Parents' Bill of Rights vote and the HR 1 energy package.
'You now have a relationship between the speaker and
