Rep. Rich McCormick, M.D. (R-GA) was among a couple of Republicans willing to speak out against US President Donald Trump’s comments during an interview with NBC News’ Kristen Welker aired on Sunday.
Welker had asked Trump whether he thinks he must uphold the United States’ constitution as president.
Trump responded, “I don’t know. I have to respond by saying, again, I have brilliant lawyers that work for me, and they are going to obviously follow what the Supreme Court said. What you said is not what I heard the Supreme Court say. They have a different interpretation.”
Speaking on the development, McCormick told CNN’s Brianna Keilar on Monday that everyone in the US deserves access to due process, including undocumented migrants.
“And I think, once again, when we get back to the [Kilmar Ábrego] García debate — the very, very famous García case, he went before a trial twice, not once but twice.
“And then after that, if he came back to the United States — he was supposed to be deported regardless. If he came back to the United States, he would go before habeas.
“And then you would have to determine if he still has the threat that kept him from being deported to El Salvador, his home of origin?”
Keilar then asked whether Trump should uphold the Constitution, reiterating Welker’s question.
“Of course,” he answered unequivocally.
“See, those are pretty easy questions for you to answer. You are also not a lawyer, I would mention.”
“I thought he did, as a matter of fact,” said McCormick. “If you think about how many interviews he takes and how much he publicly speaks, it’s pretty amazing.
“I know that I make a lot of gaffes, and I’m not saying this a gaffe, but I’m just saying that if he’s saying that he’s going to have his lawyers talk to the Supreme Court, argue a case before the Supreme Court, whatever the Supreme Court says is constitutional, he is going to abide by it.”
