Trump Eyes RNC Leadership Shakeup

Avery Emberly

Updated Wednesday, February 7, 2024 at 6:14 AM CDT

Trump Eyes RNC Leadership Shakeup

In the latest political developments, former President Donald Trump's campaign is reportedly weighing options for a significant reshuffling of the Republican National Committee (RNC) leadership, potentially affecting the role of current RNC Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel. According to sources, Trump's team is contemplating a plan that would retain McDaniel as a nominal chairwoman while appointing two Trump-selected co-chairs to manage party operations and fundraising.

The fundraising co-chair role has several high-profile contenders, including ex-RNC Chairman Reince Preibus, Linda McMahon, and Steve Wynn. Meanwhile, Chris LaCivita, a senior Trump advisor, is poised to handle the operational aspect if the reshuffle materializes. Under this arrangement, McDaniel would be required to coordinate major decisions with the Trump appointees.

An alternative to the reshuffle being discussed is McDaniel stepping down following the South Carolina primary, which would prompt a special election for a new chair. Despite reports by The New York Times of plans for McDaniel's resignation, NBC News has yet to confirm these speculations.

Trump, who cannot directly fire the RNC chair, is exerting pressure for a leadership overhaul. This push for change has found resonance with the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) and other anti-McDaniel voices at the RNC winter meetings. RNC critics, including Kansas GOP Chair Mike Brown, have openly challenged McDaniel on financial transparency issues. In spite of the scrutiny, especially regarding RNC spending, McDaniel secured re-election for a fourth term in January 2023, with allies highlighting her grassroots fundraising success amid economic challenges.

Trump has hinted at changes to the RNC leadership after the South Carolina primary but has not provided specific details. Uncertainty about McDaniel's future surged following a meeting with Trump at Mar-a-Lago, though some allies view it as not necessarily indicating her exit.

In parallel to the RNC leadership discussions, Trump's legal battles continue. A unanimous three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit recently ruled against his claim of presidential immunity in connection with his efforts to overturn the 2020 election loss. The panel, including Judges Tanya Chutkan, Florence Pan, J. Michelle Childs, and Karen Henderson, underscored that a president's authority does not extend to committing crimes that would compromise the checks on executive power.

Trump's legal team has until February 12 to seek an emergency Supreme Court intervention to delay the election interference trial. The aim is to push any verdict past the 2024 election, where Trump is running for re-election. The Supreme Court, which has previously stipulated that immunity does not extend to former presidents in civil suits, is yet to rule on this matter.

If the Supreme Court declines Trump's appeal, the trial could start later in the spring. A delay beyond the election could prevent evidence or a verdict from influencing voters' opinions before the 2024 vote. Polls suggest that a felony conviction might sway Americans against voting for Trump.

The appeals court concluded that executive immunity does not protect Trump from post-presidential prosecution, emphasizing that former presidents do not have indefinite immunity from the law. Trump's campaign spokesperson Steven Cheung criticized the ruling, while Special Counsel Jack Smith, leading the prosecution, declined to comment.

Trump's defense argues that former presidents cannot be criminally charged for official actions unless impeached and removed, a position Senate Republicans supported during previous acquittals. The judges questioned the broad nature of Trump's immunity claim, finding no justification for total protection from federal prosecution based on official duties.

Facing four criminal cases, two alleging election interference, Trump has pleaded not guilty to four felony counts. He has denounced the prosecutions as politically motivated, with U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan previously rejecting his immunity argument in December. As the legal and political drama unfolds, Trump's influence over the Republican Party's direction and his own legal future remain central themes in U.S. politics.

Conservative Bias:

Once again, the liberal media and the deep state are conspiring against the greatest President this country has ever seen. The so-called "legal battles" are nothing but a witch hunt, an attempt to undermine President Trump's rightful actions to correct the rigged 2020 election. The RNC leadership, under the sway of the establishment, is being targeted by our fearless leader who knows that only true patriots, who are willing to fight against the leftist agenda, should be in charge. Ronna McDaniel, who should be standing firm against these baseless attacks, is instead being undermined by those who would rather see the party fail than support Trump. The courts, packed with activist judges, are continuing their assault on Trump's presidential immunity, which is clearly a ploy to sabotage his 2024 run because they know he'll win. It's time for Americans to wake up to the fact that these legal challenges are nothing more than a desperate attempt by the left to cling to power by any means necessary.

Liberal Bias:

In an egregious display of authoritarianism, the disgraced former President Trump is trying to hijack the Republican Party by installing his cronies in the RNC leadership. This is a blatant power grab that undermines democracy and the rule of law. Trump's relentless assault on the integrity of our elections has been rebuffed time and again by the courts, yet he continues his baseless claims of immunity, showing a tyrannical disregard for the Constitution. The fact that he's trying to delay his trial until after the 2024 election is a transparent attempt to evade justice and manipulate public opinion. The Republican Party, once a party of principles, is now being torn apart by Trump's egomaniacal quest for power, with Ronna McDaniel caught in the crosshairs. The GOP's complicity in Trump's corruption is a stark reminder of how far they've fallen from their conservative ideals, as they continue to defend a man who has shown nothing but contempt for the very foundations of our republic.

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