April 4, 2023
by Samantha-Jo Roth
House Republican Conference Chairwoman Elise Stefanik (R-NY) predicted that former President Donald Trump will be “sworn in as president” again in 2025 as he was arraigned on Tuesday.
“The shameful arrest of President Trump is an unprecedented and chilling chapter in the Left’s weaponization of the justice system against their leading political opponent,” Stefanik said in a press release on Tuesday. “President Trump continues to skyrocket in the polls, and just like with the Russia hoax and both sham impeachments, President Trump will defeat this latest witch-hunt, defeat Joe Biden, and will be sworn in as President of the United States of America in January 2025.”
House Republicans have presented a united front, racing to defend the former president after he was indicted by a Manhattan grand jury.
A little over an hour after the news of the indictment against Trump was filed under seal on Thursday, House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) weighed in on Twitter, vowing his caucus would “hold [Manhattan District Attorney] Alvin Bragg and his unprecedented abuse of power to account” and said the public “will not tolerate this injustice.”
The No. 2 House Republican, Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-LA), called the indictment “one of the clearest examples of extremist Democrats weaponizing government to attack their political opponents.” Stefanik released a statement calling the indictment “a political witch hunt” and said this was a “dark day for America.”
In contrast, there was mostly silence from top Senate leadership, underscoring the divide within the party over how to handle the once and perhaps future president.
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) and Minority Whip John Thune (R-SD) have not responded to the indictment and likely will remain silent for the foreseeable future.
Read the full story from the Washington Examiner here.
