Texas Republicans in Congress defend Donald Trump after latest indictment
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WASHINGTON — A 37-count federal indictment unsealed on Friday accused former President Donald Trump of lying to federal investigators to keep confidential documents in his possession, but scores of Texas Republicans remain with him and reject the charges of partisan ploy .
“Today is a very sad day in American history,” Senator Ted Cruz, R-Texas, said on his podcast on Friday. “We have never had a new President in over two centuries of our country’s history who has sent the entire Justice Department, the entire judicial machine, on a vendetta to pursue, attack, investigate, prosecute and attempt to jail .” the former president, who, it should be noted, is also currently the main contender on the Republican side to run against the current president.”
A federal grand jury in Florida on Thursday indicted Trump over his handling of classified documents at Mar-a-Lago, his Florida home, as well as his efforts to conceal them from federal agents.
Federal agents found numerous documents marked as confidential, including “information on the defense and weapons capabilities of both the United States and other countries; United States nuclear programs; potential vulnerability of the United States and its allies to military attack; and plans for possible retaliatory action in response to a foreign attack,” the indictment reads.
But several Texas Republicans quickly sided with Trump’s defense, repeating his claims of a partisan attack.
“WITCH HUNT!!! They KNOW they can’t beat Trump at the ballot box so Biden has our entire federal government ARMING him,” tweeted US Rep. Ronny Jackson, R-Amarillo, who previously served as Trump’s White House physician “This is a DARK DAY in American history, but we’ll get the last few laughs. Trump will be in the White House AGAIN!!”
“The indictment against Merrick Garland @realDonaldTrump is a blatant and disgraceful political hitman. As President, Trump could unleash anything he wanted,” tweeted Rep. Beth Van Duyne, R-Irving. “Biden had documents all over the east coast before he became president.”
US Rep. Chip Roy, who backed Florida Governor Ron DeSantis’ presidential candidacy, also defended Trump.
“The rule of law and the strength of our nation depend on the blind application of justice and refusal to politicize the Justice Department. From Mark Houck and Scott Smith to President Trump, while the Biden family’s corruption has long been ignored, Congress must act to restore norms,” Roy tweeted.
US Rep. Michael Cloud, R-Victoria, who sits on the powerful House Budget Committee, called the probe perverse and threatened future funding for a new FBI headquarters “to stop forcing taxpayers to fund these nefarious actions.” “.
US Republican Reps. Keith Self, Pat Fallon, Lance Gooden, August Pfluger, Randy Weber, Troy Nehls, Roger Williams, Brian Babin, Michael Burgess and Wesley Hunt released similar statements.
US Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, told NBC News he would not comment on the case “until we have the facts.” Cornyn balked at endorsing any Republican presidential nominee, but expressed doubts that Trump could win if he secured the nomination.
Trump immediately dismissed the charges as “election interference” on his Truth Social platform – an echo of his defense during the search of his home in August. He accused President Joe Biden of inciting the Justice Department to eliminate a Republican front runner in 2024.
US Representative Jasmine Crockett, D-Dallas, a former public defender, dismissed the characterization and tweeted that Biden “did not charge anyone.” The secret grand jury of his Florida colleagues has indicted Trump! It is ruthless to push this propaganda or perhaps defend a twice accused and multiple accused sex offender.”
Other Texas Democrats insisted Trump would be tried like any other American for alleged crimes. US Rep. Al Green, D-Houston, said in a statement that Trump “deserves his day in court and the American people deserve justice.”
“In our legal system, where no one is above the law, a former president who is innocent until proven guilty can be investigated, charged, tried, and, if proven beyond a reasonable doubt, convicted of committing a crime. said Green.
US Rep. Marc Veasey, D-Fort Worth, said Trump has had numerous opportunities to release the classified documents, adding, “No other citizen in our great country would have been given so many opportunities to do the right thing.”
“When I was impeachment executive, I argued that Trump had instigated an insurgency that gave our foreign enemies unprecedented visibility in the halls of Congress. “His crimes consistently endanger our national security,” U.S. Representative Joaquin Castro, D-San Antonio, said in a tweet. “Nobody – not even a former president – is above the law.”
The indictment is Trump’s second after a New York grand jury indicted him for his role in allegedly paying hush money to porn actress Stormy Daniels to cover up an affair. He’s also the subject of another investigation in Georgia over his efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election.
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