Bret Baier: Trump indictment is unprecedented
'Special Report' anchor Bret Baier reflects on the indictment of President Trump over hush money sent to Stormy Daniels on 'The Five.'
Some of former President Donald Trump's biggest critics in the Democratic Party weighed in on his historic indictment just minutes after he was indicted by a Manhattan grand jury on Thursday evening.
Rep. Maxine Waters, D-Calif., the top Democrat on the House Financial Services Committee and a vocal opponent to Trump when he was in office, reacted with glee on Twitter.
"SO Trump finally got indicted! I predicted he would and I predicted that Stormy Daniels would get him! Sometimes justice works!" Waters wrote.
Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., the former head of the House Intelligence Committee and the lead Democrat in Trump's first impeachment trial, called the moment "sobering" but indicated he believed justice was served.
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Rep. Maxine Waters, D-Calif., cheered Trump's indictment on Thursday. (Sarah Reingewirtz/MediaNews Group/Los Angeles Daily News via Getty Images)
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"The indictment of former President Donald J. Trump by the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office over his alleged participation in a campaign fraud and hush money scheme that already sent his former attorney Michael Cohen to jail is a sobering and unprecedented development," Schiff said in a statement to Fox News Digital. "But if justice demanded that Michael Cohen go to jail for a scheme directed by someone else, justice also requires that the person responsible for directing the scheme must answer for their offenses against the law — and that person is Donald Trump."
"The indictment and arrest of a former president is unique throughout all of American history. But so too is the unlawful conduct for which Trump has been charged, and for the even more grievous misconduct for which he is currently under investigation by a Department of Justice Special Counsel and the Fulton County District Attorney," he added.
Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, who frequently sparred with Trump when he was in office, both released relatively muted statements hours after news of Trump's indictment came down.
"The Grand Jury has acted upon the facts and the law.No one is above the law, and everyone has the right to a trial to prove innocence. Hopefully, the former President will peacefully respect the system, which grants him that right," Pelosi said.
Schumer wrote, "Mr. Trump is subject to the same laws as every American. He will be able to avail himself of the legal system and a jury, not politics, to determine his fate according to the facts and the law. There should be no outside political influence, intimidation or interference in the case. I encourage both Mr. Trump’s critics and supporters to let the process proceed peacefully and according to the law."
Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-Calif., urged Americans to remain neutral in a departure from his normally outspoken criticism of the right.
Former President Donald Trump has been indicted by a grand jury in Manhattan, the first former president to be charged with a crime. (SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty Images)
"The indictment of a former president is a somber day for America. It’s also a time to put faith in our judicial system. Donald Trump deserves every protection provided to him by the Constitution. As that unfolds, let us neither celebrate nor destroy. Justice benefits us all," the lawmaker said on Twitter.
Rep. Ted Lieu, D-Calif., called for a similar hands-off approach, indicating that even the ex-president's harshest critics are treading cautiously around the historic news.
"Indicting a former President is a horrible precedent; the only precedent worse than that is to not indict Donald Trump if there is evidence that he committed crimes. This is a somber moment for America. We should let the judicial system do its job without interference," Lieu said Thursday evening.
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Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., stressed that Trump had the same due process rights as any American citizen.
"This indictment isn't a trivial matter. A grand jury made up of everyday citizens decided that there is enough evidence to charge President Trump with a crime," the senator said. "Like every person charged with a serious crime, the former President has due process rights. He will have an opportunity to defend himself in a court of law before a jury of his peers."
Trump is believed to have been indicted in an investigation related to hush money payments made to porn star Stormy Daniels and former Playboy model Karen McDougal, totaling $130,000 and $150,000, respectively.
Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., called the historic event "sobering." (Drew Angerer/Getty Images)
He also is being investigated by prosecutors in Fulton County, Georgia, over accusations of election interference in that state, and is the subject of two federal probes under the purview of Special Counsel Jack Smith.
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Progressive "Squad" member Rep. Jamaal Bowman, D-N.Y., denounced Republican attacks against Bragg as "racist" and called for Trump to never be allowed to hold public office again.
"Being indicted for falsifying business records with hush money is only the beginning of being held accountable for his crimes. Trump attempted to illegally overturn election results in Georgia and worked to incite the insurrection at the Capitol, both in an effort to overthrow our government to advance his fascist cause. His continued calls for protests following his arrest are just another dog whistle for his followers: destroy our democracy," Bowman said.
Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg speaks during a press conference in New York on Sept. 8, 2022. (Victor J. Blue/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
"Republicans will continue to claim this was a political arrest, but they can’t continue to hide behind their lies, misinformation, and racist attacks towards Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg. It’s time that we ensure Trump is banned from running for any public office again and from there, finally take action to fix our democracy," he added.
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Fellow Squad member Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., pointed out, "This is just one of many criminal acts for which Donald Trump is being investigated."
"Our democracy rests on the rule of law. When someone — no matter how powerful they are — is suspected of a criminal act, our justice system investigates, charges, and convicts them in accordance with due process," Omar said. "Make no mistake: the fact that one of the most powerful people in the world was investigated impartially and indicted is testament to the fact that we still live in a nation of laws. And no one is above the law."
This is a breaking news story. Check back for updates.
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