Republicans vented their anger Thursday immediately after it was announced that a Manhattan grand jury indicted former President Donald Trump on charges related to the Stormy Daniels affair.
“If our justice system becomes armed as a political tool, it puts us all at risk,” tweeted Republican National Committee Chair Ronna McDaniel.
“This is a blatant abuse of power by a prosecutor who is focused on political revenge instead of protecting people,” tweeted McDaniel, who was installed by Trump and withstood a challenge to her post earlier this year.
Her comment served as a signal to elected Republicans who supported Trump during the Russia investigation and two Senate impeachment trials.
“Outrageous,” said House Judiciary Representative Jim Jordan of Ohio in a one-word statement. He is one of several House committee chairs who have already tried to probe Manhattan Attorney Alvin Bragg into his investigation.
RNC Chair Ronna McDaniel called the charges a “blatant abuse of power by a prosecutor focused on political revenge.”
Republican lawmakers in Congress sided with Trump even before the impeachment, beginning with Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy of California. “Alvin Bragg irreparably damaged our country when he tried to interfere in our presidential election,” McCarthy tweeted.
“The American people will not tolerate this injustice and the House of Representatives will hold Alvin Bragg accountable for his unprecedented abuse of power.”
Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas in comments to described the substance of the case as “complete rubbish”.
Sen. Thom Tillis (RN.C.), who has worked with the Biden administration on occasion, said the prosecution “fails the smell test.
“The Justice Department has already reviewed the facts and ruled that no case should be brought against President Trump… Congress has every right to investigate the behavior of Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, he told the Huffington Post.
“It’s unfounded and frivolous. It’s a political pursuit, and ironically, the fact that this left-wing Democrat is pursuing it has already proven to be a significant political advantage for Donald Trump,” Cruz said Wednesday.
Pro-Trump Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Green vented her anger at the indictment on Twitter.
“Impeach Biden. He gave us all the reasons and the family bank records and more give us receipts. But now that the gloves are off. Track all crimes. Enough of this witch hunt bullshit.’
Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif. Condemned the indictment Thursday night: “Alvin Bragg caused irreparable harm to our country when he attempted to interfere in our presidential election,” McCarthy tweeted.
House Judiciary Speaker Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) called the charges “outrageous.”
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) tweeted: “Impeach Biden. He gave us all the reasons and the family bank records and more give us receipts. But now that the gloves are off.’
Elise Stefanik (RN.Y.), chairwoman of the Republican Conference of Trump Loyalists in the House of Representatives, was among the first elected officials to come out with a statement blasting the impeachment
A Manhattan grand jury has voted to indict former President Donald Trump for paying hush money to porn star Stormy Daniels
Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) called the content of the case “complete rubbish” in comments to .
How the impeachment will play out in the 2024 presidential primary and Republican race for control of the House of Representatives has yet to be decided. Trump has used reports that he could be impeached as a powerful fundraising tool, and he’s extended his lead over Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis in a new Fox News poll released Thursday.
Trump predicts it will backfire on President Joe Biden, who took office, while former Trump fixer Michael Cohen is serving part of his three-year sentence for campaign finance violations related to the $130,000 hush-money agreement with Daniels -dollars served.
The former president called it a “witch hunt to destroy the Make America Great Again” movement in a statement in which he railed against other probes and vowed to defeat Bragg.
“Now they’ve done the unthinkable,” Trump said, calling the charges a political act by his enemies. “Never before in the history of our nation has this been done.”
“I believe this witch hunt will have a massive backlash against Joe Biden,” Trump said in his statement.
Speaking exclusively to on Thursday, Eric Trump called the ruling a “reckless assault” and an example of “the decline of American law.”
His brother Donald Trump Jr. compared the charges to the actions of a ruthless dictatorship. The former president has denied Daniel’s allegations of a sexual affair and is expected to plead not guilty.’
“Let’s be clear folks. It’s like communist shit. This is stuff Mao Stalin Pol Pot would do.’
House GOP conference chair Elise Stefanik (RN.Y.), another prominent Trump supporter, said: “The unprecedented interference in the election by corrupt Socialist District Attorney Alvin Bragg is a political witch hunt and a dark day for America . The far left will stop at nothing to go after Joe Biden’s main political opponent ahead of the 2024 presidential election to quash the will and voice of the American people.
She concluded with a call for mobilization — a sign that House Republicans like Trump are trying to capitalize on the impeachments against the party leader.
“Never have tens of millions of patriotic Americans been so vigorous in exercising their constitutional rights, peacefully organizing and voting at the ballot box to save our great republic by electing President Donald J. Trump in 2024,” the Trump loyalist said.
Trump attorneys Susan Necheles and Joseph Tacopina said, “President Trump has been indicted. He has committed no crime. We will vigorously fight this political persecution in court.’
Just before 7 p.m. Thursday, Trump aired his first appeal for donations, based on the “darkest chapter in our history.”
“Please make a contribution – of any amount – to protect our movement from the endless witch hunts and WIN the WHITE HOUSE in 2024 – with a 1,500% impact,” the email read from his PAC. Make America Great Again”.
Donald Trump’s angry statement branding the charges a “political persecution”.
“This is political persecution and electoral interference at the highest level in history. Ever since I descended the golden escalator in Trump Tower, and even before I was sworn in as your President of the United States, the radical left Democrats — the enemy of this country’s hard-working men and women — have been engaged in a witch hunt to destroy the Make America Destroy Great Again movement. You remember it just like me: Russia, Russia, Russia; the Mueller Hoax; Ukraine, Ukraine, Ukraine; impeachment scam 1; impeachment scam 2; the illegal and unconstitutional raid on Mar-a-Lago; and now this.
Donald Trump called the charges ‘unthinkable’
“The Democrats have lied, cheated and stolen in their obsession to ‘get Trump’, but now they have done the unthinkable – they have charged a completely innocent person in an act of blatant election interference.
“Never before in our nation’s history has this been done. The Democrats have cheated countless times over the decades, including spying on my campaign, but they have armed our justice system to punish a political opponent who happens to be a President of the United States and by far the leading Republican presidential nominee has never happened . Always.
“Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg being handpicked and funded by George Soros is a disgrace. Instead of stopping the unprecedented crime wave sweeping New York City, he’s doing Joe Biden’s dirty work and ignoring the murders, burglaries, and assaults he should be focusing on. This is how Bragg spends his time!
“I believe this witch hunt will backfire massively on Joe Biden. The American people recognize exactly what the radical left Democrats are doing here. Everyone can see it. So our movement and our party – united and strong – will first defeat Alvin Bragg, and then we will defeat Joe Biden, and we will oust every single one of these crooked Democrats so we can MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN! ‘