Trump Lawyer Warns Indictment Is a ‘Turning Point’ in US History
A lawyer for former President Donald Trump told reporters that the federal indictment of her client is akin to what happens under “dictatorships” as the former commander-in-chief was arraigned in a Miami court on Tuesday.
“We are at a turning point in our nation’s history,” lawyer Alina Habba, who is representing Trump in another case, told reporters on Tuesday outside the Miami federal courthouse where Trump was arraigned. “The targeting prosecution of a leading political opponent is the type of thing you see in dictatorships like Cuba and Venezuela. It is commonplace there for rival candidates to be prosecuted, persecuted, and put into jail.”
A federal indictment that was unsealed last week charged Trump with 37 counts stemming from his alleged mishandling of classified documents. Prosecutors said that he refused to turn over classified documents, made false statements, and obstructed justice, among other charges.
During Tuesday’s arraignment, Trump pleaded not guilty.
“The unauthorized disclosure of these classified documents could put at risk the national security of the United States, foreign relations, the safety of the United States military, and human sources and the continued viability of sensitive intelligence collection methods,” the indictment said.
But Habba, like Trump, argued that the indictment of Trump suggests there is a double standard, as Democrats like President Joe Biden and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton never faced such federal scrutiny.
“None of them were president, who as the head and sole member of the executive branch, has the power to summarily declassify documents,” Habba told reporters. “The decision to pursue charges against President Trump while turning a blind eye to others is emblematic of the corruption that we have here.”
Habba also said that the indictment is “not about President Donald J. Trump, who is defiant,” adding: “It is not about the Republican Party, it is not about the 2024 election,” Habba added. “It is about the destruction of longstanding principles that have set this country apart.”
Video footage showed Trump riding to court with his son Eric, who accompanied the motorcade from the former president’s Doral resort to the federal courthouse in Miami. The footage also showed Trump walking to a line of SUVs with his son by his side while someone yelled, “Let’s go Trump!”
The former president could be seen stopping and waving at supporters, as well as chatting with staff members. Eric Trump appeared to clap his father on the back just before he climbed in a vehicle.
Trump is also accused in a New York state court of falsifying business records related to payments made during the 2016 campaign. Trump has denied any wrongdoing, saying he’s being unfairly targeted by political opponents who want to hurt his campaign. After his court appearance, Trump will return to New Jersey, where he’s expected to hold a press event to publicly respond to the charges.
A June 13 USA Today 2024 poll shows that Trump has 48 percent support among GOP voters. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is No. 2 with 23 percent support, while no other candidate has 5 percent.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
