MSNBC’s Jen Psaki insists there is only one group of people politicizing former President Donald Trump’s indictment.
During a segment of her show on Sunday, Psaki shared examples of Republicans calling the charges a “weaponization” of the justice system. She said, “To me, this is all pure projection.”
“To me, the only people who are weaponizing and politicizing what shouldn’t be a political process at all are these leading Republicans,” she continued, adding, “And they’re doing this for one reason: because Donald Trump is still the leader of the Republican Party.”
Watch the video below:
The WH's MSNBC show: Republicans "weaponizing" indictment of Trump.
— Tom Elliott (@tomselliott) April 2, 2023
"I would actually just put your head down and stay out of it" pic.twitter.com/c0cda2wzVL
Psaki argued Democrats should “stay out of it for now.”
She also offered an example of a comment someone can make about the indictment:
“If you want to say something… stick with the frame that has been in the statement of a number of Democrat leaders. One, ‘No one is above the law. That’s how our country works.’ Two, ‘Trump will be able to avail himself of the legal system.’ And three, ‘There should be no intimidation and any protest should be peaceful.’ That is how the judicial system is supposed to work. And a functioning judicial system is vital to a thriving democracy.”
The framework for a statement Psaki shared is a good one — especially when the actual charges are not yet known. And Republicans would do well to follow it instead of casting any prosecution of Trump as political before they even know the details.
Now, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s case against Trump does appear flimsy. Even some liberal legal experts have suggested the timing regarding the statute of limitations and the legal theory around it appear to be shaky. The reported legal theory seems to be an attempt to bump a misdemeanor charge for falsifying business records up to a felony by arguing the falsification was done in the commission of a federal campaign finance violation.
Given Bragg’s history of downgrading felonies, it appears incongruous with his time in office to try out the reported novel theory to bring the first indictment against a former president in U.S. history.
CNN reports the indictment includes more than 30 counts related to business fraud. However, none of the charges are publicly known because the indictment is under seal.
So no one commentator or politician really knows what the charges are. The reports could be utterly wrong and Bragg has found some heinous violation of the law that is well within the statute of limitations.
Still, the lack of actual knowledge about the charges has not stopped Republicans from inveighing against the indictment.
Elected Democrats may be offering mild statements now about how no one is above the law, but the Left’s years-long desire to see Trump in an orange jumpsuit is not helping the image of an impartial justice system.
Years before charges were even brought against Trump in the hush money case, it was being politicized by Democrats. Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Calif.) tweeted in 2019, “Michael Cohen is serving 3 yrs for the crimes that he committed [with] and for the President of the USA.”
“Many are wondering why this case was closed. It ain’t over until it’s over [and] it ain’t over until Trump is held responsible for all of his crimes. Impeachment first, prison next!” she added.
Michael Cohen is serving 3 yrs for the crimes that he committed w/ and for the President of the USA. Many are wondering why this case was closed. It ain't over until it's over & it ain't over until Trump is held responsible for all of his crimes. Impeachment first, prison next!
— Maxine Waters (@RepMaxineWaters) July 22, 2019
Meanwhile, liberal commentators celebrated news of Trump’s indictment.
So no, Republicans are not the “only people” politicizing the indictment.