Senator Steve Daines of Montana is coming to the defense of former President Donald Trump, who has been indicted by a Georgia grand jury for his attempts to overturn the 2020 election. This is the fifth set of charges brought against Trump this year and the second set related to his efforts to reverse President Joe Biden’s victory.
Daines, who serves as chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, took to X (formerly known as Twitter) to express his support for the former president. He criticized the indictment, calling it a product of a “rogue DA” and a “rogue DOJ,” and claimed that it further highlights the two-tiered system of justice in America today. Daines argued that the justice system should be blind and not used as a weapon against political opponents.
The latest indictment of President Trump is brought by a rogue DA who is following in the footsteps of the rogue DOJ, further cementing the two systems of justice in America today. The justice system should be—it must be—blind, not weaponized against political opponents.
— Steve Daines (@SteveDaines) August 15, 2023
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and other members of Senate Republican leadership have chosen to remain silent on the charges against Trump. However, several other Republican senators have spoken out against the indictment. Senator Tommy Tuberville of Alabama called it a “witch hunt,” while Senator Ted Budd of North Carolina accused the prosecutor of targeting Trump while ignoring the alleged corruption of the Biden family.
Trump also faces federal charges in a separate 2020 election case brought by special counsel Jack Smith. The charges include conspiracy, obstruction of justice, and conspiracy against rights. The indictment suggests that Trump was aware that his actions to overturn the election were based on false information.
It is clear that there is a deep divide among Republicans regarding Trump’s legal troubles. While some senators support him and dismiss the charges as politically motivated, others have chosen to remain silent or have expressed criticism of the former president. This latest indictment adds to the legal challenges that Trump will face in the coming months.