Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene's appearance at a pro-Trump rally in Lower Manhattan was short-lived as she was met with counterprotesters and little support from New York's Republican congressional delegation.
"To the Mayor Adams: As you can see I'm standing here peacefully protesting, but you called me out by name while you allow crime in your streets. And you send your henchman down here to commit assault against people by making loud noises, assault against police officers," Greene, speaking at a park in Lower Manhattan, said as her words were drowned out by counterprotesters. "Democrats are the party of violence."
Greene was shortly escorted out of the park where the protest was being held, and ran into Democratic Rep. Jamaal Bowman, who was participating in an anti-Trump protest near the park. Bowman told her to "get out of here."
The New York Young Republican Club organized the event, which was actively promoted on social media by its president, Gavin Wax.
While officials are addressing security concerns, including an explicit warning from Mayor Eric Adams on Monday for attendees to “control themselves,” a spokesperson for the city Parks Department confirmed that the event was technically unsanctioned: no one from the group officially submitted a permit request. The warning prompted a response from Greene on Twitter.
Greene's Republican colleagues from New York’s congressional delegation, some of whom have staunchly defended Trump, were noncommittal about their attendance. Ed Cox, the newly elected chair of the state Republican Party, said he wouldn't be attending, according to his spokesperson, David Laska.
"He has COVID and as such will be working from home this week. His symptoms are mild,” Laska said.
Gothamist reached out to all 11 members of the GOP’s New York congressional delegation to see if they'd be attending Tuesday’s protest.
Brandon Williams (NY-22, Syracuse and Central NY)
The first-term congressmember has condemned Bragg in a tweet, accusing Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg of “political grandstanding” as well as attacking his record on crime. His seat is among the six in New York that Democrats have targeted as “in play” for next year’s election.
The congressmember did not plan to attend the rally for Trump in Manhattan on Tuesday.
“As emotions run high and we see a politicization of the legal process by the Manhattan DA’s office, Rep. William’s believes his time, energy, and focus is best suited on serving the needs of Central New York and the Mohawk Valley and will be spending the day in-district with his constituents,” said Taylor Weyeneth, a spokesperson for Williams, in an email to Gothamist.
Nick LaLota (NY-01, Long Island)
Nick LaLato, a first-term congressman who represents large portions of Suffolk County, has accused Bragg of engaging in “partisan politics.”
“If former President Bill Clinton did what former President Trump is alleged to have done, Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg would not have indicted him,” he wrote in a tweet.
“That reality — a prosecutor so motivated by partisan politics— should offend every American regardless if they love or hate Trump,” he added.
LaLota won the district previously represented by Lee Zeldin, who ran unsuccessfully for governor last year. Democrats have identified his seat as vulnerable in the next election.
His office did not respond to an inquiry asking whether he would be attending Tuesday’s rally in Manhattan.
Andrew Garbarino (NY-02, Long Island)
Andrew Garbarino, who represents a large stretch of Long Island’s South Shore, has taken aim at Bragg’s record on crime, saying that the Manhattan DA is “more concerned with a political prosecution than putting violent criminals behind bars.”
In the same tweet, Garbarino also accused Bragg of having a “political vendetta” against the former president. Garbarino, a former member of the State Assembly, was elected in 2020.
A spokesperson for Garbarino confirmed the congressman would not attend the event without offering an explanation.
George Santos (NY-03, Queens, Long Island)
George Santos arrives in Manhattan in support of former president Donald J. Trump before he arrives at the New York County Criminal Court to be arraigned after he was indicted by the Manhattan District Attorney, Alvin Bragg.
The first-term congressmember from northeast Queens and Long Island’s North Shore in Nassau County has himself been the subject of notoriety for his conduct on the campaign trail and is the subject of a series of his own investigations related to potential ethics and campaign finance violations. He’s joined the chorus of Republicans condemning Bragg’s office for Trump’s indictment.
“I am deeply disturbed by the reports of the indictment. Weaponizing the justice system to target a political rival is a clear danger to our country and democracy,” Santos tweeted on Thursday. “DA Alvin Bragg should focus on prosecuting crime in NYC, not executing political witch hunts.”
At the same time, he did not rule out attending the Lower Manhattan rally. He shared a tweet from organizers about the demonstration planned for Tuesday. However, a Santos spokesperson refused to confirm whether the freshman congressmember would attend the event himself.
“The congressman’s schedule is closed to the media,” said Naysa Woomer, a spokesperson for Santos.
In a follow-up email seeking clarification on why an elected public official did not have any public schedule, she replied, “Again, his schedule is not open to the public.”
On Tuesday, Santos — surrounded by a crush of reporters — appeared in Lower Manhattan to attend the rally.
Nick Langworthy (NY-23, Western New York and Southern Tier)
Nick Langworthy has a long history with the president.
In 2014, Langworthy — then the Erie County GOP chair — was part of a group of Republican officials who tried, unsuccessfully, to convince Trump to challenge then-Gov. Andrew Cuomo.
By 2016, Langworthy was a big supporter of Trump’s presidential campaign, eventually serving on his transition team. And in 2019, Trump’s team supported Langworthy’s successful bid to become state Republican chair — a position he held until last month, when he resigned after winning a seat in Congress last year.
In a statement on Twitter, Langworthy blamed Trump’s indictment on the “deep state” and called it an abuse of the law.
“This is an interference in our elections & subversion of American democracy,” he tweeted.
A spokesperson for Langworthy didn’t respond to an email inquiring whether Langworthy would be in the city for Trump’s arraignment. His press office released a portion of his Tuesday schedule that showed he would be meeting with Chautauqua County’s sheriff and touring the local jail.
Marc Molinaro (NY-19, Catskills and Southern Tier)
A former candidate for governor, Rep. Marc Molinaro has spent years being careful with his words about Trump.
During his gubernatorial run in 2018, the Hudson Valley Republican said he didn’t vote for Trump in 2016, instead writing in the name of then-Rep. Chris Gibson.
In a statement last week, Molinaro said: “No one is above the law and everyone is entitled to a fair trial.”
But at the same time, he said Trump’s case will be a “complete political circus,” and attacked Bragg.
“Alvin Bragg is an elected activist prosecutor who has allowed violent criminals to avoid prosecution — demoralizing law enforcement and endangering ordinary New Yorkers,” Molinaro wrote.
Molinaro’s office didn’t return requests for comment on Monday.
Claudia Tenney (NY-24, Western and Central New York)
Rep. Claudia Tenney, whose district stretches from Watertown to the Buffalo area, is a longtime Trump supporter.
Her statement in support of Trump following his indictment mirrors many of the national Republican talking points, calling Bragg “Soros-backed” and accusing him of waging a “witch hunt” against Trump.
She went as far as calling on Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul to remove Bragg from office, which was a plank of former Rep. Lee Zeldin’s campaign for governor last year.
“Every American should be concerned about this gross abuse of power and the politicized two-tiered system of justice we now have in America,” Tenney said in a statement.
Tenney’s spokesperson didn’t respond to a request for comment on Monday on whether the lawmaker intended to travel to Manhattan on Tuesday.
Elise Stefanik (NY-21, North Country)
Rep. Elise Stefanik, the No. 3 ranking House Republican, is an unabashed Trump supporter.
Her rise to national prominence was fueled in part by serving as one of Trump’s most fervent defenders during the impeachment process. She’s been one of his most frequent surrogates on cable television over the years, and has even been rumored as his potential running mate in 2024.
When Trump was indicted, Stefanik — whose district includes much of the North Country — called it “a dark day for America.”
“I’m taking a stand for the American people in the face of the Far Left’s attempt for ANOTHER sham political witch-hunt against President Trump,” she tweeted.
Stefanik’s spokesperson did not respond to an email seeking comment on Monday.
Mike Lawler (NY-17, Hudson Valley)
Rep. Michael Lawler, a freshman member from the Hudson Valley whose upset victory unseated the chair of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee Sean Patrick Maloney will be very far from Lower Manhattan this week — even though he is openly critical of Bragg’s investigation and indictment.
A spokesperson for Lawler said he would be out of the country through mid-April with a congressional delegation to the Indo-Pacific to meet with security partners and allies. Nate Soule, Lawler’s press secretary and deputy chief of staff, did not respond to a follow-up email asking for more details about the trip.
On his congressional website, Lawler issued a statement that said Trump’s indictment “raises serious questions about the competence and impartiality of Manhattan District Attorney Bragg and his office."
"They must provide a complete and thorough explanation to the American people why these charges are being brought, despite federal authorities refusing to do so, and how these charges compare to previous decisions not to prosecute other elected officials, like former Mayor de Blasio, who have violated New York State and New York City campaign finance laws," he concluded. "Anything less would violate the confidence and trust in our justice system.”
Lawler’s statement referred to former Manhattan DA Cyrus Vance’s decision in March 2017 not prosecute former Mayor Bill de Blasio for fundraising activity related to state Senate candidates, despite finding conduct that “appear contrary to the intent and spirit of laws” governing campaign contributions.
Anthony D’Esposito (NY-04, Long Island)
Rep. Anthony D’Esposito – who successfully flipped the 4th Congressional District seat to red in last year's November general election – called Bragg a “hack” but did not offer explicit support to the former president.
“...Bragg chooses to focus his energy on playing politics instead of taking violent criminals off the streets,” D’Esposito tweeted on Friday.
Matt Capp, a spokesperson for D’Esposito, confirmed to Gothamist that the Long Island representative would not be attending the rally, offering no explanation on why.
Nicole Malliotakis (NY-11, Staten Island and south Brooklyn)
As the representative from the only borough Trump has won twice, Nicole Malliotakis understands Republican voters in her district oppose Bragg’s investigation and indictment. She went on Fox News on Friday to blast the district attorney for how his office has conducted criminal prosecutions, echoing the attacks on Bragg that came from New York Republicans much of last year.
“It seems he came into office with an agenda to go after President Trump. Meanwhile we are seeing crime soar in this city,” Malliotakis said during the appearance, which she shared on her official congressional Twitter account. She said Gov. Kathy Hochul should remove Bragg, a proposed maneuver that was a frequent albeit not entirely accurate talking point of former Rep. Lee Zeldin when he ran against Hochul last year.
Malliotakis' spokesperson did not respond to requests via email or text about whether the congresswoman planned to attend the rally on Tuesday.
The story has been updated with confirmation Rep. George Santos attended the rally.
