Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) has reacted to the news former President Donald Trump has been indicted yet again.
In a tweet on Thursday, DeSantis wrote, “The weaponization of federal law enforcement represents a mortal threat to a free society. We have for years witnessed an uneven application of the law depending upon political affiliation.”
“Why so zealous in pursuing Trump yet so passive about Hillary or Hunter?” he asked.
Finally, the governor added, “The DeSantis administration will bring accountability to the DOJ, excise political bias and end weaponization once and for all.”
The weaponization of federal law enforcement represents a mortal threat to a free society.
— Ron DeSantis (@RonDeSantis) June 9, 2023
We have for years witnessed an uneven application of the law depending upon political affiliation.
Why so zealous in pursuing Trump yet so passive about Hillary or Hunter?
The DeSantis…
On Thursday, Trump revealed he had been indicted in the federal investigation into his handling of classified documents.
According to The Wall Street Journal, “Trump was charged with seven counts, a person familiar with the matter said, including violations of the Espionage Act, which bars the misuse of classified information, as well as obstruction and false statements.”
However, the exact nature of the charges is unclear as the indictment is still sealed.
The paper noted federal investigators have been building a case that claims the former president “deliberately withheld sensitive documents related to U.S. intelligence and defense plans, even after prosecutors demanded the return of all such documents last year.”
Justice Department officials tried to recover classified documents from Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate last year by obtaining a subpoena. However, after his representative told federal officials they had returned all the documents, investigators discovered evidence there were classified documents still in Trump’s possession — which led to the FBI executing a search warrant and recovering hundreds of more documents.
Trump has claimed he automatically declassified the documents. Yet there has been no evidence he followed the proper declassification process.
It would be great if Republicans would hold off on claiming the indictment is proof the Justice Department has been weaponized, especially since we do not know the actual charges.
But DeSantis’ tweet is much less cringy than some of the reactions from conservatives. And his question about why the justice system has gone after Trump zealously compared to its treatment of former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton — an accusation that was made in Special Counsel John Durham’s investigation of the Russia probe — is going to be an issue for prosecutors.
Some conservatives have really gone off the rails with their responses:
Every "Republican" running for President should suspend their campaign and go to Miami as a show of support. If you don't, you are part of the problem. Either we have an opposition party or we don't. GO to Miami Tuesday, and show solidarty or we will mark you as part of the…
— Charlie Kirk (@charliekirk11) June 8, 2023
All the rhetoric about threats to “our sacred Republic” and “rule of law” doesn’t dissuade the Democrat mob in the least
— Buck Sexton (@BuckSexton) June 9, 2023
This is a raw power play. As long as it helps keep them in power, they love it. They despise the country as it is anyway. Tearing it down is the point.
War is the remedy that our enemies have chosen, and I say let us give them what they want pic.twitter.com/LqTOIyMOAM
— Kingsley Cortes (@KingsleyCortes) June 8, 2023
Meanwhile, conservative commentator Mike Cernovich had possibly the most ghastly take, tweeting, “This is the JFK assassination all over again.”
This is the JFK assassination all over again.
— Cernovich (@Cernovich) June 8, 2023
Of course, these conservatives seem to place no blame on Trump for improperly taking the documents and then allegedly misleading officials about how cooperative he had been with the federal government.
But an indictment of Trump is nothing compared to a sitting president being assassinated in front of his wife. And such comparisons are sick and irresponsible.
In the U.S., we have a presumption of innocence and an indictment is not evidence of guilt. Perhaps Trump’s lawyers will show he declassified the documents and everything was above board and the charges really were politically motivated to take out the leading Republican presidential candidate.
Prosecutors will have to grapple with the apparent disparity in how Clinton was treated. But bad previous decisions — not charging Clinton for her handling of classified documents for example — should not mean that powerful individuals should be immune from charges in perpetuity when less powerful people are routinely prosecuted for similar crimes. That is not justice. That is the definition of a two-tiered system of justice.
Until we have a trial and see the evidence, Republicans would be wise to hold off on making a judgment about the charges.
