The few GOP leaders who believe Trump’s classified documents’ indictment is serious
Donald Trump appeared in a Miami federal courtroom on June 13 where he pleaded “not guilty” to 37 criminal federal counts, all felonies, based on his handling – or mishandling – of classified documents – storing those documents on full display at his Mar-a-Lago resort and not returning those documents when ordered to do so by the U.S. Department of Justice. Cases of sensitive papers were stored on a stage in a Mar-a-Lago Ball Room, the infamous bathroom with the chandelier, a few storerooms, and his Mar-a-Lago office.
(Classified documents confiscated from Mar-a-Lago, Image credit: DoJ)
Former Trump Attorney General Bill Barr is among those saying that the allegations set forth in the indictment against Trump are very serious.
Trump has been very vocal about the indictment, calling it a witch hunt that will go down in history as the most vicious piece of political persecution ever directed at a former president. Most Republicans feel that the indictment against him is politically motivated, while many Trump supporters aren’t even reading the charges against him and will continue to support him, no matter what. But some GOP leaders aren’t blindly supporting the ex-president in his accused mishandling of sensitive classified documents.
Former Vice President Mike Pence, who was quick to tell the world that he and Trump had no legal right to overturn the 2020 presidential election in Trump’s favor, also shared with the media this week that he could not defend the “very serious” allegations against Trump as outlined in the federal indictment over his handling of classified documents.
The Wall Street Journal, MSN, and The Hill quoted the former VP as saying, “Having read the indictment, these are very serious allegations. And I can’t defend what is alleged.” Pence went on to say that, like any accused defendant, Trump is still entitled to his day in court. Pence has already thrown his hat in the ring and is running against Trump for the 2024 GOP presidential nomination.
A few other big Republican names are out there calling for Trump to end his presidential campaign now, reminding voters that “No one is above the law.” Those big names, according to Forbes, include Nikki Haley, who on Monday characterized Trump as “reckless,” and Tim Scott, who described the federal charges brought against him as “serious allegations.”
Both Hailey and Scott are also campaigning to be the next Republican nomination for president. Haley was the Governor of South Carolina from 2011 through 2017 and also served as an Ambassador to the United Nations under the Trump presidency in 2017, eventually resigning from that post in 2018. Scott has served as a junior senator from South Carolina since 2012.
(Classified documents confiscated from Mar-a-Lago, Image credit: DoJ)
Chris Christie, the former Governor of New Jersey who was a staunch ally of Trump’s during the early days of the Trump presidency and one who’s also campaigning for president in the next cycle, has gone on record as saying that “No one is above the law, no matter how much they wish they were.”
Mitt Romney: The former Republican presidential nominee and Utah senator, who has long been critical of Trump, said in a statement that the Department of Justice “exercised due care” and that Trump “brought these charges upon himself,” and if proven guilty, these actions would be “consistent with his other actions offensive to the national interest.” ~ Forbes
Still, Trump maintains his innocence in the latest indictment against him. Although a few Republican leaders aren’t fully backing the former president in the federal case against him, Trump still remains the front runner for the GOP 2024 presidential nomination, with the majority of Republican congressional leaders saying that he has done nothing wrong.
The 49-page indictment against Donald Trump is available for your viewing and for download at the following link: https://s3.documentcloud.org/documents/23844146/trump-indictment.pdf
By all accounts, Trump remained contrite and humble during his arrest proceedings in Miami yesterday. Later that same day though, after returning to his Bedminster, New Jersey, resort for a campaign rally, the former president was once again back in full-Trump mode, railing against the indictment levied against him and the current administration.
Posted by Richard Webster, Ace News Today / Follow Richard on Facebook, Twitter & Instagram
