Republican Lawmaker Warns Trump Supporters About Falling Into DOJ Trap

Rep. Clay Higgins (R-La.) speaks during a House Committee on Oversight and Reform hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington on June 8, 2022. Andrew Harnik-Pool/Getty Images

Rep. Clay Higgins (R-La.) has issued a warning to conservative Americans about “falling for the trap” if they choose to protest against former President Donald Trump’s latest indictment.

Higgins, a member of the Homeland Security Committee, warned Trump supporters that the Department of Justice would like to have “J6 again,” a reference to the breach of the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.

“My fellow conservatives, the DOJ/FBI doesn’t expect to imprison Trump, they expect to imprison you. They want J6 again, in Miami and in your city and in mine. They want MAGA conservatives to react to this perimeter probe and in doing so, set yourselves up for targeted persecution and further entrapment,” Higgins said in a statement on June 11.

“They want to intercept a busload of conservatives en route to protest and create conflicts during the stop. They are hoping to provoke conservative Americans. Don’t fall for the trap. Maintain your family. Live your life. Live free and pay close attention and make your voice heard,” Higgins added.

“Don’t become an incarcerated pawn in the agenda driven DOJ/FBI strategy to oppress conservatives across America.”

Trump arrived in Miami on June 12, one day before his scheduled appearance in federal court, where he will be arraigned on federal charges. The former president faces a total of 37 felony counts over his handling of documents at his Mar-a-Lago resort, including violating the federal Espionage Act and other federal statutes for allegedly making false statements, concealing documents, and conspiring to obstruct justice.

Former President Donald Trump delivers remarks during the Georgia state GOP convention at the Columbus Convention and Trade Center in Columbus, Ga., on June 10, 2023. Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images

On Sunday, Trump urged his supporters to protest peacefully.

“Our country is going communist, it’s going Marxist, it’s going really bad. The people of our country aren’t that way, but the people running it are,” Trump said during a radio interview. “We need strength at this point, and everyone’s afraid to do anything. They’re afraid to talk, and they have to go out and they have to protest peacefully. They have to go.”

Miami’s police chief, Manuel Morales, has said his department is taking Trump’s arraignment on Tuesday “extremely seriously” and it can handle a crowd of up to 50,000.

“President Trump can take care of himself in court, he knows we’ve got his back. The DOJ knows they’ve got nothing on him. They’re doing this because they want you to let your anger overwhelm your strategic judgment and they expect you to step willingly into their trap,” Higgins added.

“We will fight against this oppression. We are indeed, with every ounce of spirit, fighting against the insidious evil that threatens our beloved Republic, but We the People must fight against oppression legally, peacefully, and within the parameters of our Constitution.”

The Epoch Times has contacted the DOJ for comment.

Polls

Before Trump’s indictment was unsealed on June 8, a new Gallup poll revealed that more Americans considered themselves to be conservative on social issues since 2012.

The poll, which queried 1,011 U.S. adults from May 1 to May 24, found that 38 percent of respondents said they were conservative or very conservative on social issues, up from 33 percent in 2022 and 30 percent in 2021. Meanwhile, the percentage said they were liberal or very liberal on these issues stood at 29 percent, a decrease from 33 percent last year and 34 percent in 2021.

Among Republicans, the percentage of respondents that said they were socially conservative increased from 60 percent two years ago to 74 percent this year.

The percentage of Independents who said they were socially conservative increased from 26 percent last year to 29 percent this year. Fewer Independents said they were liberal on these issues, dropping to 23 percent from 29 percent in 2022.

“Greater social conservatism may be fostering an environment more favorable to passing conservative-leaning social legislation, especially in Republican-dominated states,” the poll said.

Trump continues to lead the GOP pack in the 2024 race for the White House. According to the latest I&I/TIPP poll, which polled 482 likely Republican primary voters from May 31 to June 2, Trump received 55 percent of support, with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis a distant second with 19 percent of  support.

Former Vice President Mike Pence finished third with 6 percent of support, followed by former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley and Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.) with 3 percent each.

“So Trump’s edge, when it comes to his own party, again appears insurmountable at this early stage of the nominating process,” the poll says.