Republicans have come forward to condemn the indictment of President Donald Trump, the current leader in the GOP 2024 presidential primary contest, by a Manhattan grand jury. High-ranking GOP officials, including House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) and House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-LA), accuse Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg of weaponizing the justice system for political purposes.
Alvin Bragg has irreparably damaged our country in an attempt to interfere in our Presidential election.
As he routinely frees violent criminals to terrorize the public, he weaponized our sacred system of justice against President Donald Trump.
The American people will not…
— Kevin McCarthy (@SpeakerMcCarthy) March 30, 2023
In a scorching statement, McCarthy described Bragg’s actions as an “unprecedented abuse of power” and vowed that the House of Representatives would hold him accountable. Similarly, Scalise labeled the indictment as a “sham” and an “outrageous” example of “extremist Democrats weaponizing government to attack their political opponents.”
🚨🚨Senator @JDVance1 Issues Statement On The Indictment of President Donald J. Trump:
“Today’s indictment of President Trump is political persecution masquerading as law…The American people will see this for exactly what it is: a grave miscarriage of justice." pic.twitter.com/pEx80acgos
— Senator Vance Press Office (@SenVancePress) March 30, 2023
The Democrat Party’s hatred for Donald Trump knows no bounds. The “substance” of this political persecution is utter garbage.
This is completely unprecedented and is a catastrophic escalation in the weaponization of the justice system.
— Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) March 30, 2023
Sens. J.D. Vance (R-OH) and Ted Cruz (R-TX) echoed these sentiments, with Vance decrying the indictment as “political persecution masquerading as law” and Cruz denouncing the “catastrophic escalation in the weaponization of the justice system.” Meanwhile, Donald Trump Jr. warned that the “fascist left” would not stop with his father. He urged the GOP to realize the implications of this politically motivated prosecution.
Statement by Donald J. Trump, 45th President of the United States of America pic.twitter.com/d9NlWQqMbQ
— Team Trump (Text TRUMP to 88022) (@TeamTrump) March 30, 2023
Former President Trump himself characterized the indictment as “Political Persecution and Election Interference at the highest level in history.” He criticized the Democrats for doing the “unthinkable” by indicting a former president for the first time in U.S. history. In addition, he accused Bragg of being a “disgrace” for prioritizing political vendettas over public safety concerns in New York City.
Trump’s statement also recalled the numerous instances of what he perceives as the Radical Left’s ongoing witch-hunt against him and his administration, including the Russia investigation, two impeachment hoaxes, and the Mar-a-Lago raid. He expressed confidence that the indictment would backfire on the Democrats, as he believes the American people can see through their tactics.
The weaponization of the legal system to advance a political agenda turns the rule of law on its head.
It is un-American.
The Soros-backed Manhattan District Attorney has consistently bent the law to downgrade felonies and to excuse criminal misconduct. Yet, now he is…
— Ron DeSantis (@GovRonDeSantis) March 30, 2023
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R), who is widely expected to enter the primary contest against Trump, also weighed in on the indictment, calling it “un-American” and a perversion of the rule of law to advance a political agenda. DeSantis criticized the Soros-backed Bragg for his track record of downgrading felonies and excusing criminal misconduct while stretching the law to target a political rival. He made it clear that Florida would not assist in any extradition request in light of the circumstances.
The indictment, a result of Bragg’s investigation into a settlement payment made before the 2016 election, marks a historic first against a former president. Although the exact charges are still unknown, legal experts believe Trump could face a maximum sentence of four years in prison if convicted.
This indictment is a stark reminder of the deep divide between the GOP and the Democratic Party, with Republicans seeing it as a prime example of the left’s relentless pursuit of their political enemies. As the case unfolds, it is evident that tensions will continue to escalate, with the GOP rallying behind Trump to combat what they perceive as an unjust and politically motivated prosecution.
