Republicans and Democrats react to Trump’s New York arraignment

World
By William

An indictment against former US President Donald Trump has been unsealed, revealing the Republican leader faces 34 felony counts of falsifying business records in New York.

Trump has pleaded not guilty to the charges, which stem from a grand jury investigation into hush money allegedly paid to porn star Stormy Daniels in the run-up to the 2016 election.

But the indictment documents released Tuesday show prosecutors plan to sue Trump for payments other than the $130,000 allegedly paid to Daniels for her silence.

The indictment accuses Trump of using a “catch and kill plan” to undermine the negative press, paying to suppress a doorman’s story about a child conceived out of wedlock and burying a story of another alleged extramarital affair , presumably with Playboy model Karen McDougal.

With Tuesday’s indictment, Trump becomes the first former US president to face criminal charges. He briefly appeared in Manhattan Criminal Court to hear the charges and have fingerprints taken and processed before flying to Florida.

The charges come as Trump seeks the Republican nomination for president in the 2024 race. Below are some responses to Trump’s charges:

‘Don’t do anything illegal!’: Former President Donald Trump

“The hearing was shocking to many because they had no ‘surprises’ and therefore no case,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social website after his indictment.

“Virtually every lawyer has said there is no case here. Nothing illegal has been done!”

‘Serious Criminal Misconduct’: District Attorney Alvin Bragg

“These are crimes in New York State, whoever you are. We cannot and will not normalize serious criminal behavior,” Manhattan District Attorney Bragg told reporters in his first public remarks following Trump’s indictment.

Bragg led the investigation into Trump’s hush money payments, gathering evidence of alleged forged business records.

‘The law has finally caught up with Donald Trump’: Representative Rashida Tlaib

“History will remember Donald Trump not only as the first president to be impeached twice, but also as the first president to face criminal charges,” the Michigan representative and Democrat said in a statement.

“Today, the law has finally caught up with Donald Trump and his corrupt and reckless behavior. No one is above the law, no matter how rich or powerful they are.”

“Great Courage”: Congressman Joaquin Castro

“While the arraignment of a former president is unprecedented, the Manhattan District Attorney has shown great courage in holding Donald Trump accountable,” the Texas Democrat said in a statement.

“Gloomy moment”: Representative Adam Schiff

“A bleak moment in the life of our country when it is necessary to indict a former president for criminal charges,” Schiff, a California Democrat, said on Twitter Tuesday afternoon.

“Since the case has to be proven to the prosecutor, we must recognize what is most important: even the most powerful are held accountable and no one is above the law.”

Schiff was the lead prosecutor in the 2020 Senate impeachment trial against Trump.

“Bad Day”: Senator Marco Rubio

“Today is a bad day for all of us and we will all regret it for a very long time,” Rubio, a Florida Republican and former 2016 presidential candidate, tweeted.

“Today we established the new normal that if you really want to take someone down, nothing should stop you. You have to be able to manipulate the law anyway if you want to sue someone.

Rubio added that the allegations against Trump were “absurd.”

“Take Responsibility”: Representative Jamaal Bowman

“Take responsibility, hold yourself accountable and get out,” the New York Democrat said when reporters asked if he had a message for Trump.

“I stand against Trump”: Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton

“I stand against Trump and will always fight those who want to destroy our Republic,” Paxton, a Republican, said in a tweet.

‘No comment’: White House

“I think the American people should be reassured that when a case like this is going on, we just don’t comment,” White House spokesman Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters in a news conference.

“Protests must be peaceful”: Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer

Schumer, a Democrat from New York, tweeted: “I believe Donald Trump will receive a fair trial that follows the facts and the law. There is no place in our legal system for any outside influence or intimidation in the legal process. As the trial progresses, protest is a US right, but all protests must be peaceful.

“Immoral Man”: Representative Madeleine Dean

“Mr. Trump was a president with many firsts — none of which were good for our country. His arraignment is another first — all his own,” the Pennsylvania Democrat tweeted, adding that the twice-deposed president was “an immoral man” and was a “corrupt citizen”.

‘Based’: Senator Ted Cruz

“The charges against Donald Trump are completely political and baseless,” the Texan Republican said on Twitter.

“I stood by Trump”: Representative George Santos

“I stood by Trump from the moment he came down the escalator, I voted for him in the primary and twice for president in the general election,” the newly elected Republican representative from New York wrote on Twitter.

“Today I showed up because that’s what real supporters do, they show up for your best and your worst days.”

“Long Coming”: Mary Trump

“The events in New York City have of course been a long time coming. This is a historic day and the implications of what will happen in the lower Manhattan courthouse will have huge implications for this country,” the former president’s niece said in a tweet.

“Donald has eluded accountability for so long and left so much destruction in his wake that there is a lot to process,” she added with the hashtag “#HappyIndictmentDay.”

“He’s frustrated, he’s upset”: Trump attorney Todd Blanche

“He’s frustrated, he’s upset, but I’ll tell you what, he’s motivated. And it won’t stop and it won’t slow him down. It’s exactly what he expected. So to that extent there’s no surprise, but he’s also upset and frustrated and disappointed and angry that this happened.

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