The controversy surrounding former President Donald Trump continues, with Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg (D) bringing charges against the former President and warning Congress against interfereing with the legal proceedings. The indictment against Trump is currently under seal and is expected to be arraigned in New York Tuesday afternoon. Trump disputed any wrongdoing. *
Reactions to the indictment have been mixed among Republican presidential contenders, with former Arkansas governor Asa Hutchinson (R) calling on Trump to step aside, while declared candidate Nikki Haley (R) claiming that the indictment is "more about revenge than justice ". Entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy (R) noted the "dangerously politicized prosecution" while Florida governor Ron DeSantis (R) claimed that "the weaponization of the legal system to advance a political agenda turns the rule of law on its head". *
President Biden and Vice President Harris have declined to comment on the indictment when repeatedly asked by reporters on Friday. However, Sen. Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C. ), a top congressional ally of Trump, claimed that his political opponents are "trying to bleed him [Trump] dry" during an interview on Fox News and called on viewers to donate to the former president. Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.) weighed in, calling for all to "neither celebrate nor destroy" the indictment and condemning the former President's continued efforts to incite violence.
The LGBTQ legal groups, Black women in Congress and Senate Republicans are also taking action in the wake of the Indictment. The former are focusing on successful court battles and repealing anti-LGBTQ laws, while the latter are looking into cracking down on Medicare Advantage overpayments as a way to reduce deficits. Black women in Congress are also taking the lead in trying to revive the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) to guarantee equal rights for all Americans regardless of gender.
Former FBI Director James Comey celebrated the upcoming arrest of former president Donald Trump on Twitter by calling it a "good day". Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg is seeking to indict Trump for a misdemeanor falsifying business records offense, which has already passed the statute of limitations. The Georgetown Law professor and MSNBC legal analyst Paul Butler defended the indictment, claiming that "nobody is above law", but also noted the law’s provisions for protection from selective prosecution and the statute of limitations. In the midst of widespread criticism of Bragg, Comey and other pundits have declared the use of New York law perfectly legal and commendable.