Democratic lawmakers on Aug. 1 welcomed Special Counsel Jack Smith’s indictment of former President Donald Trump targeting his efforts to dispute the results of the 2020 election.
Mr. Trump was indicted on conspiracies against the United States and the Congressional certification of the electoral vote on Jan. 6, 2021, as well as against Americans’ right to vote.
The Democratic leaders in both chambers of Congress—Senate President Chuck Schumer (N.Y.) and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (N.Y.)—jointly issued a statement reacting to the charges.
“The insurrection on January 6, 2021, was one of the saddest and most infamous days in American history, personally orchestrated by Donald Trump and fueled by his insidious Big Lie in an attempt to undermine the 2020 election,” said Mr. Schumer and Mr. Jeffries in the statement.
The two lawmakers added: “This indictment is the most serious and most consequential thus far and will stand as a stark reminder to generations of Americans that no one, including a president of the United States, is above the law. The legal process must continue to move forward without any outside interference.”
Responding to the charges, Mr. Trump described the indictment as a politically motivated attack aimed at thwarting his third run for the Oval Office.
“Why didn’t they bring this ridiculous case 2.5 years ago? They wanted it right in the middle of my campaign, that’s why!” the former president wrote on his Truth Social media platform.
Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), who pushed the narrative of collusion between the 2016 Trump presidential campaign and Russia, and also served on the House Select Committee investigating the disruption in the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, took to Twitter, now known as X, to weigh in on the indictment.
“Trump was just indicted on his most serious charges to date, those concerning Jan 6,” Mr. Schiff wrote. “This will put our democracy to a new test: Can the rule of law be enforced against a former president and current candidate? For the sake of our democracy, that answer must be yes.”
Former House speaker Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), who while in that position was a leader in the impeachment of the former president, issued a statement.
“Though the charges in this indictment are very serious, and they must play out through the legal process, peacefully, and without any outside interference,” said the former speaker who famously tore up, on national television, President Trump’s remarks during his 2020 State of the Union address. “Like every criminal defendant, the former President is innocent until proven guilty. Our Founders made clear that, in the United States of America, no one is above the law—--not even the former President of the United States.”
In a social media post, Rep. Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.)referred to special prosecutor Jack Smith’s comment, when announcing the indictment, that, “The attack on our nation’s capital on January 6th, 2021, was an unprecedented assault on the seat of American democracy.”
Ms. Pressley tweeted: “An unprecedented assault’ on our democracy is right. Trump abandoned his oath of office & conspired to overthrow the results of an election in broad daylight. To defend our democracy & prevent attacks like this from ever happening again, he must be held fully accountable.”
Rep, Joaquin Castro (Texas) said: “I’m glad to see that Donald Trump has been indicted for his role in trying to overthrow the results of the 2020 Presidential Election and for stoking the failed coup of January 6, 2021. If he gets away with it others will try the same in the years ahead.”
