How American lawmakers reacted to Donald Trump's arraignment
Trump pleaded not guilty to all 34 felony counts of falsifying business records.
Several lawmakers in the US on Tuesday (April 4) reacted to former president Donald Trump's arraignment. Trump, 76, was charged with 34 felony counts of falsifying business records stemming from three pre-election hush-money cases. Trump has pleaded not guilty to all counts. "Not guilty," the former president said when asked how he pleaded.
In a statement, Senator Mitt Romney, a sharp critic of Trump, said he believed that Trump’s character and conduct make him unfit for office, but added that the case was politically motivated.
"Even so, I believe the New York prosecutor has stretched to reach felony criminal charges in order to fit a political agenda. No one is above the law, not even former presidents, but everyone is entitled to equal treatment under the law."
"The prosecutor’s overreach sets a dangerous precedent for criminalising political opponents and damages the public’s faith in our justice system," Romney said, adding that charges and evidence would be duly considered and the outcome decided by a jury with an obligation to fulfil its responsibility with the utmost care and impartiality.
House GOP Chair Elise Stefanik, a key Trump ally, said that his arrest was shameful and he would defeat this latest witch hunt.
"The American people are smart, and they know this is politically charged and Trump would defeat these charges in court and turn the tables on the Far Left Democrats by exposing their corruption and power," Stefanik added.
"Equal justice under the law, unless you’re a Republican running for president," House Judiciary Chair Jim Jordan tweeted.
Some lawmakers also criticised Manhattan District Attorney (DA) Alvin Bragg for being politically motivated in his probe of the case.
"Alvin Bragg is a radical left-wing activist abusing his power in an attempt to help Biden remain in office," Senator Marsha Blackburn tweeted early Wednesday.
GOP Senator JD Vance, who was once a Trump critic, said that Bragg's entire career has been about normalising violent crime.
"Just crazy that he’s bringing this weak case in the middle of a presidential election," Vance wrote on the microblogging site.
US House Speaker Kevin McCarthy accused the Manhattan DA of seeking to interfere in elections.
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