South Dakota’s top elected officials react to Trump indictment

The previous president pleaded not responsible Tuesday to 34 felony counts of falsifying enterprise data stemming from alleged hush cash paid through the 2016 presidential marketing campaign. He’s the primary former president ever to face legal fees.

Senator Mike Rounds stated no matter political place, the prosecution ought to concern everybody as a result of it calls into query the integrity of the judicial system. 

“Regardless of the actual fact these fees are usually misdemeanor fees, the district lawyer, in his indictment, is trying to bootstrap a number of underlying crimes so as to elevate these fees to a felony stage,” Rounds stated in a press release. “Whereas everybody, together with the previous president, is topic to the legal guidelines of this nation, nobody needs to be singled out for political functions. Sadly, this cleaning soap opera of a prosecution seems to be simply that.”

Senate Minority Whip and senior South Dakota Senator John Thune agreed with Rounds’ assertion, including that he understands that is only the start of a authorized course of, and never the top.

“After an preliminary overview of the main points, this indictment seems like a political agenda run amok, and it is turning into more and more clear why earlier district attorneys opted towards prosecution.”

Consultant Dusty Johnson stated he held off on commenting for a number of days so as to overview the indictment first. 

“Reviewing the indictments solely elevated my fears that they’re politically motivated, since two different prosecutors reviewed the identical info and declined to prosecute,” Johnson stated. “Like all of us, former President Trump deserves his day in court docket, and a jury of residents will hear his case, weigh the proof, and render judgment.”

South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem addressed the indictment on Twitter Tuesday, saying a majority of Individuals consider the prosecution is political and Manhattan District Lawyer Alvin Bragg ought to rethink his priorities.

“Murders and different main crimes have skyrocketed in NYC since Alvin Bragg took workplace. He ought to concentrate on his job: retaining individuals protected. He must get his priorities straight.”

Former President Trump addressed the indictment Tuesday night time at Mar-a-Lago, calling the case “pretend” and saying it was solely delivered to intervene with the 2024 presidential election.