WASHINGTON, D.C. – Former President Donald Trump is indicted for allegedly mishandling classified documents at his Florida home. It’s the first time a former president will face criminal charges by the federal government. On Capitol Hill, congressional members are giving mixed reactions to this historic moment.
News of former president Donald Trump’s federal indictment over how he allegedly handled classified documents spread quickly in Washington. Top republicans like Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy (R- CA) were quick to defend Trump. Mike Pence, Trump’s former Vice President and currently running for the republican presidential nomination, is also defending his former boss.
Pennsylvania congressman Glenn Thompson (R- PA) told us: “While the full details of the indictment have not been released, one has to question the political motivations of bringing charges against the Presidential front runner.”
New York congressman Nick Langworthy (R- NY) said: “History was made today for all the wrong reasons. Is it any coincidence that as we uncover more evidence into Biden’s bribery scheme, he weaponizes the FBI and DOJ against his top opponent. The American people are getting a front row seat to the corrupt Biden operation & the deep state that protects him. This isn’t over.”
Virgin Islands congresswoman Stacey Plaskett (D- VI), who is on the Subcommittee on the Weaponization of the Federal Government said:
“It appears that today former President Donald J. Trump has been indicted with federal criminal charges lodged by the U.S. Department of Justice following the Special Counsel investigation of Trump’s handling of classified documents, and his obstruction of the government’s efforts to reclaim those documents. This indictment is historical and shows that no one in America is above the law. President Donald Trump is presumed innocent until proven guilty and will, of course, have every opportunity to defend himself in court, like every defendant in America’s judicial system. It is important that we members of the federal legislature allow the separate branch of government, the judicial branch, to operate independently. I call on my Republican colleagues not to weaponize Congress to the benefit of a man at the expense of our republic. I and my Democratic colleagues on the Select Subcommittee on the Weaponization of the Federal Government will be vigilant to call out falsehoods propagated by MAGA Republicans and the use of the Subcommittee to operate as a separate arm of Donald Trump’s defense team.”
