The Republican who flipped a New York congressional district in 2023 indirectly criticized former President Donald Trump's attacks on the daughter of the Manhattan judge overseeing an upcoming trial.
Prosecutors said Trump falsified payment records to hide a $130,000 hush money payment to former porn star Stormy Daniels shortly before the 2016 election to buy for her silence about an affair she said with him a decade earlier.
Republican Rep. Mike Lawler said, "Families should always be off-limits" in an appearance on CNN's "State of the Union" on Sunday.
It comes after Trump's social media attacks against Judge Juan Merchan and his daughter, who is a Democratic political consultant.
But Lawler also said, "The former president has every right to defend himself in court. He has every right to defend himself as - through the proper legal channels."
Then he blamed both parties for not dealing with the issues that matter to voters.
"I think everyone needs to tone down the rhetoric, the language. And, obviously, social media has become a vehicle by which to bludgeon people," Lawler said.
"I just think, at the end of the day, the former president, current president, and on down, all of us have a responsibility to check our language, to watch what we're saying, and to focus on the issues at hand."
"At the end of the day, Donna, the American people are focused on what matters to them, whether you are Democrat or Republican."
Anchor Dana Bash also referenced a video Trump posted to his social media platform Truth Social showing a photo of President Bidgen hog-tied in the back of a pickup truck.
Lawler blamed the media for bringing up controversial statements and social media posts by Trump.
"We are seeing issues all across this country that frankly don't get the attention they deserve because we're focused on stuff like this."
The interview touched on several other issues, including IVF rights and more aid to Ukraine.
At the end of the interview, Lawler wouldn't answer whether he would endorse Trump's campaign and only responded that he was more concerned with winning his own election.
Democrats have targeted his 17th Congressional District seat as one they could possibly flip in 2024.
