Asa Hutchinson is going after 2024 colleague Vivek Ramaswamy for vowing to pardon Donald Trump if he becomes the next CEO.
But Ramaswamy responded back, telling DailyMail.com it is “pathetic” that Republicans support the Justice Department’s recent indictment against the former president.
Both former Arkansas governor Hutchinson and biotech millionaire Ramaswamy are categorized as more longshot candidates in the crowded field of Republicans vying for the 2024 presidential nomination. Neither has scored double digits in national polls and also trailing in regional polls.
It’s just wrong for a candidate to use the clemency of the United States, the president, to win votes and get a line of applause. It’s just wrong, and it shouldn’t be done that way,” Hutchinson told CNN’s State of the Union program during an interview Sunday morning.
Former Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson slammed 2024 competitor for saying he would pardon Donald Trump for recent indictment if elected president
Ramaswamy fired back at Hutchinson, telling DailyMail.com it is “pathetic” that fellow Republicans support the Justice Department’s charge
“When you start that path, it’s infinite,” he added. “And so we shouldn’t promise and offer the fig leaf of pardon because that undermines our jury system… And so that really undermines the rule of law in our country that I’ve supported all my life.”
“It is insulting to me that anyone would pardon under these circumstances.”
The Justice Department on Friday unsealed a 49-page indictment against Trump that revealed 37 charges against the former president.
Republicans are on different sides of this issue – whether or not they support the ex-president.
Some believe the DOJ is being “armed” and acting with political motives, while others believe Trump should be held accountable for mishandling classified material after leaving office.
Ramaswamy is of the former mentality.
“It is pathetic to watch established GOP candidates celebrate with glee as a corrupt Biden DOJ sues our main competitor,” the 2024 hopeful told DailyMail.com. “The indictment is silent on the Presidential Records Act, the most important statute relevant to the case; keep silent about the fact that classification rules were codified by executive order and not by statute; remain silent about the Clinton Sock Drawer federal court ruling that ruled that the president has “sole discretion” in deciding which documents are covered.”
“If you are a former prosecutor now using a self-serving argument to try to eliminate your own competitor in the GOP primaries and gain favor with CNN, please do your homework first,” he added.
Among more than three dozen charges against Trump are 31 counts of deliberate retention of national defense information under the Espionage Act, which some Republicans say goes too far.
“President Trump will have his day in court,” Senator Lindsey Graham assured in an interview with ABC’s This Week.
“But espionage allegations are absolutely ridiculous,” he added. Whether you like Trump or not, he did not commit espionage. He has not distributed, leaked or provided any information to any foreign power or to any news organization to harm this country. He’s not a spy.’
“He paid too much,” the Republican senator from South Carolina continued. ‘Did he do things wrong? Yes, he can have that. He will be tried for that.’
Hutchinson, while walking on an anti-Trump platform, admitted that instead of jumping to conclusions, the former president is getting the same due process as all Americans.
Donald Trump appeared in Georgia and North Carolina on Saturday, where he used his remarks to denounce the DOJ’s ‘double standard’
The 49-page indictment unsealed Friday found Trump openly stored boxes of documents at his Mar-a-Lago resort — such as in a guest bedroom and on the auditorium stage
“Well, he’s certainly innocent until proven guilty, absolutely,” Hutchinson told CNN.
“And we know that Donald Trump will not drop out of the race,” he added. “This will be an issue for the voters to decide.”
My point is that this is bad for our country, bad for the presidency, and it’s a legitimate campaign issue. We don’t need our commander-in-chief of this country not protecting our country’s secrets.”
There are 12 candidates in the primary field so far, with a few others waiting in the wings to see if they want to enter the race.
The frontrunners are Trump, of course, and second is Florida Governor Ron DeSanits, who is about 20 points behind the ex-president in most national polls, but he has been gaining ground in recent weeks as he begins campaigning in the whole country.
Others in the middle row include former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley, former Vice President Mike Pence, and South Carolina Senator Tim Scott.
In the highly anticipated race with Ramaswamy and Hutchinson are former New Jersey governor Chris Christie, North Dakota governor and billionaire Doug Burgum, conservative radio host Larry Elder, Michigan businessman Perry Johnson, and Dallas businessman Ryan Binkley.