(Reuters) – Court documents released on Friday detail 37 charges against former U.S. President Donald Trump, including charges of unauthorized retention of classified documents and conspiracy to obstruct justice after he left office. the White House in 2021.
Here are some reactions to the news:
* Jack Smith, special counsel in the case:
“Our laws that protect national defense information are essential to the safety and security of the United States and must be enforced. Violating these laws puts our country at risk.”
* Republican House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, as reported by Fox News on Twitter:
The charges “will disturb this nation because they go to the heart of equal justice for all, which is not seen today. And we’re not going to tolerate it.”
*President Joe Biden
Asked if he spoke to U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland shortly after Trump was unsealed, Biden replied, “I haven’t spoken to him at all and I won’t.”
*Ron DeSantis, Governor of Florida and Republican presidential candidate
“I think there needs to be a standard of justice in this country,” DeSantis said in remarks Friday night, without mentioning Trump by name.
“Hillary had the emails,” DeSantis said. “Is there a different standard for a Democratic Secretary of State compared to a former Republican President?”
*Chris Christie, former Governor of New Jersey and Republican presidential hopeful
“The facts that are laid out here are damning in terms of the conduct of Donald Trump, and that’s what I think we as a party should be looking at. Do we really believe that someone who has engaged in this type of conduct will be the best person to oppose Joe Biden?”
*Sarah Matthews, former deputy White House press secretary under Trump
“All of the 2024 GOP candidates and Republicans who rushed to defend Trump before the indictment was unsealed seem to have a lot of eggs in their faces now. This indictment is very detailed and troubling. “
*Daniel Richman, professor at Columbia Law School and former federal prosecutor
“The indictment gathered considerable evidence of knowing and sustained wrongdoing and a complete disregard for normal government processes. … The critical details are the references to top secret documents and the litany of Trump’s comments on classification schemes – the need for others to respect them but their willful disregard on his part.”
*Senator John Barrasso, Chairman of the Senate Republican Conference
“This indictment certainly looks like an unequal application of justice. … Large amounts of classified documents have been discovered in President Biden’s garage in Delaware. No indictment. Hillary Clinton had a computer server in her house with classified documents. No indictment. … You can’t help but wonder why this is happening. It’s political, and it sucks.
*Democratic Senator Debbie Stabenow
“He stored highly classified documents in his bathroom!? Talk about a sh*tshow.”
* Todd Huntley, law professor at Georgetown University
“Between the surveillance video footage, the text messages and this audio recording, they have very strong evidence of willful and intentional withholding of these documents.”
*Republican U.S. Rep. Andy Briggs
“We have now reached a war phase. An eye for an eye.”
*Matt Bennett, co-founder of center-left think tank Third Way
“It’s impossible to bet against Trump’s stamina with the Republican base. … If I had to bet, I’d pick Trump to win the nomination. But this conduct charged in this indictment is even worse than what we we’ve been waiting for – it might break through.”
* Former Republican Rep. Denver Riggleman
“For someone who was sworn to this country as an enlisted troop, commissioned intelligence officer and congressman – and held the highest levels of clearance – to read Trump’s indictment is to put fire to my American soul. Any elected official who defends Trump is not serious and worthy of contempt.”
(Compiled by Reuters; editing by Jonathan Oatis and Leslie Adler)