Joining us now is Republican
Congressman Byron Donalds of Florida, who
we should note serves on the House
Oversight and Reform Committees.
Good morning, Congressman.
Thank you for being here.
Obviously,
we've been talking about this indictment
for Trump today.
We're going to see him in the building
behind me in
just a matter of hours from now.
Do you think the indictment helps
or hurts him politically?
Well, look, it
absolutely is going to help him
in a Republican primary.
You know,
even as we speak, Republican voters
are rallying around
President Trump simply
because what they view is an indictment
that makes no sense at all, an indictment
that is pure politics
of political persecution,
of a political enemy,
something that the American people
frankly despise in our country,
simply not for
me.
And what about with the general election?
You're arguing
it helps him in the Republican primary.
We've seen
how the potential 2024 rivals
for Trump
for the GOP nomination have responded.
But what about the general election?
Because CNN polling has shown
that there are voters
who approve of this indictment.
Well, two things.
One, I saw the report about your polling.
I would say, first,
that people are just responding to it
based upon,
you know,
how you structure the poll, whatever,
not going to comment
But I think that as the facts
of this thing starts to really roll out,
people are going to be against us.
Look, you can be against Donald Trump.
You could be before Donald Trump.
Those things don't matter
what we don't do
is turn the criminal justice system
against a political opponent.
I think you compare
this this this mockery
of the criminal justice system
with the fact that Joe Biden
has been an absolute terrible president,
won't negotiate on debt
ceiling, has left the southern border
completely wide open.
Our economy is a mess.
Our adversaries across
the globe are on the move.
You put all those things together.
It actually helps Donald Trump
become the 47th president of the
United States.
I understand that
Republicans many of you disagree
on the merits of this case,
the strength of it.
That's even something we've heard
from some legal experts.
But when it comes to
the underlying conduct here
and what's at the heart of this,
do you think Trump is innocent?
Well, look,
innocence is something
that we're going to see,
of course, I believe is innocent
because in our system of justice,
unlike what Nancy Pelosi said,
you're innocent until proven guilty.
But putting that aside,
you have a prosecutor
who, by the way, is not paying attention
to the felonies that are being committed
in Manhattan today.
Yesterday, last week, last month.
He has decided
he wants to focus on some random
FEC quasi issue that even the FEC
did not go after,
that the department of Justice
did not go after.
And he's using some misdemeanor
in New York state law.
In my view,
Alvin Bragg is outside
of his jurisdiction as a prosecutor.
No one
and no to every basic legal analyst,
every person who knows the law
and said he's created this theory
that's never existed.
So ask yourself,
what Republican or independent
or frankly,
American would not think that this
is bogus and it's political
but do you think it's hard
to argue
that when we haven't
actually seen the indictment yet, guys,
I don't think so.
I think it's very easy to argue
that when we see the indictment,
obviously, it'll be out later today.
I think it'll just put
more hair
on this situation for people to see.
Now, the details
about how hard he's trying to jump
through these legal hoops,
but the baseline issues
that have already been leaked
and been reported on.
I probably doubt that, though.
They'll fray
they'll they'll go much further away
than what we already know.
We'll see when the indictment comes.
But these initial judgments
about the indictment
of a former president,
when it's not crystal
clear in the minds of the American people
or the media for that matter,
what the actual elements
of the situation are.
That is why you have high skepticism.
And frankly,
you have people who are disgusted
by what they're seeing from Alvin Bragg
and Brian from the air
and from his DA's office. Right now,
So just to be clear, is
there anything in this indictment,
Congressman,
that could potentially change
your mind of how you were viewing this
Well, look, I got to see what he's got.
But, you know,
this is going to be the layup
and this is going to be the action before
the arraignment.
I'm not impressed. Not at all.
Especially when Alvin Bragg, he ran on
getting Donald Trump
like he didn't
run on safe streets in Manhattan.
He ran on getting the former president.
So already his mindset,
his political judgment is tainted.
To make a move like this makes no sense.
It's not very clear,
except if you're trying to,
you know,
be a star
say you're the one that got him,
so on and so forth.
It's really unfortunate.
I know the reporting has been about
how historic this is.
This is an historic
this is an infamous day in America.
Well, it is historic
just by the nature of it.
And to be fair to Alvin Bragg,
when it comes to what he was saying
when he was running,
both of the candidates who were running
for the district attorney's
spot were asked about
how they would handle
a potential Trump investigation.
He cited his experience with it.
You're on the House Oversight Committee.
You're chairman of your committee.
And along with other Republican chairmen,
have sent letters
to Alvin Bragg asking for his testimony,
something that
the counsel for the DA's office here in
Manhattan is pushing back on.
Didn't President Trump
ask House Republicans
to investigate Alvin Bragg
No, I don't believe so.
And I'm not going to speak
for the chairman,
but to my knowledge,
that has not occurred.
You have members of Congress
who have actually watched
the weaponization of various agencies
of the federal government,
whether you want to talk about the FBI,
CDC, etc..
We already know that the FBI and CDC
have suppressed free
speech in the United States
and to social media companies.
So our concern is
that you have elements of these agencies
who have been sending information
to Alvin Bragg's office,
because let's be very clear.
You got elements of our agencies
who want to get rid of Trump
to obviously that something
was going on
with the Mueller probe, etc..
So that's our concern.
We want to make sure
that you don't have aspects
of the federal government
trying to aid in a bed
through the back door
the political persecution of
a former president
Okay.
I should
note, those are your allegations.
And we should note that
we have not actually seen the indictment
when those requests to him
and brag for his testimony
went through
Congressman Barr
and Donald to Florida,
thank you for joining us this morning.
Thank you.