Trump indictment is ‘a national disaster’ and ‘a dark day’ in US history: Vivek Ramaswamy
2024 Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramswamy reacts to the indictment of former President Donald Trump, discusses the AI debate and touches on his bid for the White House.
The Washington Post editorial board criticized the charges that the Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg has most likely based his indictment of former President Donald Trump on.
In an editorial published Friday morning, the members of the board claimed that yes, Trump "deserves the legal scrutiny he’s getting," but claimed that the charges he’s supposedly getting indicted on – dealing with hush money payments made to porn star Stormy Daniels – are weak.
The paper warned that the D.A should be careful going forward with an indictment on such charges.
New York District Attorney Alvin Bragg had been investigating former President Donald Trump for alleged hush money payments to adult film actress Stormy Daniels. (Shane Bevel/NCAA Photos via Getty Images/Victor J. Blue/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
The board wrote, "Yet of the long list of alleged violations, the likely charges on which a grand jury in New York state voted to indict him are perhaps the least compelling. There’s cause for concern, and caution, ahead."
It noted that the legal strategy District Attorney Bragg has supposedly opted for is "novel, and courts may regard it with skepticism." It added, "What’s more, the potential campaign finance charge itself is shaky."
Explaining how a high-profile political figure was acquitted in a similar case, the editorial stated, "When federal prosecutors charged former senator John Edwards (D-N.C.) with a similar crime following his 2008 presidential run, he rebutted the accusation by arguing he was trying to disguise his faithlessness from his wife rather than from the voting public."
It said, "The trial ended in acquittal on one count and a hung jury on others — at which point the Justice Department dropped the charges."
TOP HOUSE, SENATE REPUBLICANS OUTRAGED ABOUT TRUMP INDICTMENT: ‘A DARK DAY IN AMERICAN HISTORY’
The Washington Post editorial board expressed skepticism that the indictment against Trump is based on the strong charges. (REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst/File Photo)
The board pointed out that there are "potential downsides of indicting Mr. Trump" that "ought to be taken seriously, too," including that it may create the standard for prosecuting future U.S. presidents.
It stated, "This prosecution is now bound to be the test case for any future former president, as well as, of course, proceedings against this former president in particular — of which there are plenty."
The Post also warned that if this case fails, then it will make the other potential cases on Trump look bad, when they involve far more compelling charges against the former president.
It said, "Other investigations underway include Justice Department examinations of the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection and classified documents discovered at Mar-a-Lago, where the possibility of obstruction of justice is particularly grave. These are straightforward cases compared with the one proceeding in Manhattan."
"A failed prosecution over the hush-money payment could put them all in jeopardy, as well as provide Mr. Trump ammunition for his accusations of ‘witch hunt,’" the board added.
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The left-leaning newspaper then flat out warned the D.A. not to pursue this indictment if it’s not an "airtight" case, saying, "Public perception and political strategy shouldn’t dissuade a district attorney from bringing a solid case, but neither should they persuade him to bring a shaky one. This prosecution needs to be airtight. Otherwise, it’s not worth continuing."
Donald Trump is the first former president to be indicted on criminal charges. ( SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty Images))
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