Two Republican lawmakers have backed former President Donald Trump following an indictment for his handling of classified documents, alleging the charges against Trump have been politicized.
Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, told CNN’s “State of the Union” on Sunday that “this is the most political thing I’ve ever seen.” Jordan, who is chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, noted that Trump said he declassified the documents and “I take the president’s word for it, and he said he did.”
“And the people doing it is the administration, the Justice Department of his opponent in the next presidential election. It’s as political as it gets,” he said.
Chairs are considered responsible for classifying and declassifying documents, although there is a process.
Trump and one of his employees at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Florida, have been charged with dozens of counts of alleged violation of statutes related to handling classified documents after Trump’s departure of the White House. The former president is accused of ordering his personal valet Walt Nauta to move boxes of documents to hide them, showing documents to guests at the Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster, New Jersey, and more. Nauta was also charged by officials.
Trump also reportedly admitted knowing some of the documents were classified, saying “it’s still a secret,” according to the indictment.
But Jordan wasn’t the only Republican to back the former president on Sunday. Senator Lindsey Graham, R.S.C., on ABC’s “This Week,” criticized Hillary Clinton’s use of a private email server, President Joe Biden and former Vice President Mike Pence having both classified documents among their assets, as well as other officials and public figures.
Washington: Barr criticizes Trump for indicting classified documents
Trump faces 31 counts of willfully withholding national defense information under the Espionage Act. He also faces charges of obstruction of justice, among other allegations.
“President Trump will have his day in court, but the espionage charges are absolutely ridiculous,” Graham said Sunday. “Whether you like Trump or not, he did not commit espionage.”
“Donald Trump, you might hate his guts, but he’s not a spy,” Graham said.
Later in the interview, Graham added, “I think Donald Trump is politically stronger today than he was before.”
According to the indictment against Trump, one document described a “plan of attack” and another contained a map of a military instillation.
Trump maintained his innocence after the indictment. His first appearance in federal court is scheduled for Tuesday at 3 p.m. in Miami.
Contributors: Bart Jansen and Josh Meyer
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Jim Jordan and Lindsey Graham support Donald Trump over classified documents