Former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has denounced the indictment of former President Donald Trump, whom he served under.
A New York grand jury voted to indict Trump on March 30 over his alleged role in the payment of hush money to adult film actress Stormy Daniels during the final weeks of the 2016 presidential campaign. With this prosecution, brought by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, Trump became the first former president in history to be indicted.
“The Manhattan DA is undermining America’s confidence in our legal system. Bragg is the same Soros-funded prosecutor who refuses to prosecute violent crimes and who has downgraded more than half of all felonies to misdemeanors,” Pompeo, a possible presidential candidate, wrote on Twitter.
“Prosecuting serious crimes keeps Americans safe, but political prosecutions put the American legal system at risk of being viewed as a tool for abuse. DA Bragg - spend taxpayers’ money and your energy protecting law-abiding citizens. Not playing politics,” he continued.
Trump blasted the indictment in a lengthy statement.
“This is Political Persecution and Election Interference at the highest level in history. From the time I came down the golden escalator at Trump Tower, and even before I was sworn in as your President of the United States, the Radical Left Democrats — the enemy of the hard-working men and women of this Country — have been engaged in a Witch-Hunt to destroy the Make America Great Again movement. You remember it just like I do: Russia, Russia, Russia; the Mueller Hoax; Ukraine, Ukraine, Ukraine; Impeachment Hoax 1; Impeachment Hoax 2; the illegal and unconstitutional Mar-a-Lago raid; and now this.”
Republicans were swift in condemning the criminal case.
“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 tolerate this injustice, and the House of Representatives will hold Alvin Bragg and his unprecedented abuse of power to account,”
said House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.).
“The Regime occupying our country and systematically killing America is most afraid of President Donald J. Trump. Period,”
said Rep. Paul Gosar (R-Ariz.). “He’s our guy.”
“Outrageous,”
posted Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio).
“Tonight’s indictment of Donald Trump isn’t about the law. It’s about power. Raw power. It’s the Democrat Party telling the nation they will stop at nothing to control the outcome of the next presidential election. It is an assault on our democracy, pure and simple,”
said Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.).
Meanwhile, Democrats applauded the indictment.
“No one in this country is above the law—including former President Trump. Being indicted for falsifying business records with hush money is only the beginning of being held accountable for his crimes,”
said Rep. Jamaal Bowman (D-N.Y.).
“Republicans will continue to claim this was a political arrest, but they can’t continue to hide behind their lies, misinformation, and racist attacks towards Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg,” he
added.
“The indictment of a former president is unprecedented. But so too is the unlawful conduct in which Trump has been engaged. A nation of laws must hold the rich and powerful accountable, even when they hold high office. Especially when they do. To do otherwise is not democracy,”
said Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.).
“The indictment of a former president is a somber day for America. It’s also a time to put faith in our judicial system. Donald Trump deserves every protection provided to him by the Constitution. As that unfolds, let us neither celebrate nor destroy. Justice benefits us all,”
said Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.).
“This is not a moment to celebrate. This is a terrible moment for the country. But no one is above the law. Those lock her up chants that people were chanting like hyenas in a stadium around the country were never funny, perhaps they now understand why,”
said Rep. Jared Moskowitz (D-Fla.).
Trump, who primarily lives in Florida, will likely be arraigned in New York early next week, Trump’s defense attorney Joe Tacopina
told CNN.
