AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta
- As news of Donald Trump's indictment spreads, most GOP candidates have remained quiet.
- GOP presidential candidate Asa Hutchinson, however, called on Trump to drop out of the race.
- The indictment shows the need for Trump to "end his campaign" said Hutchinson in a press release.
As news broke that Donald Trump is facing a federal indictment, most GOP candidates have remained quiet. But former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson, who launched his campaign in April, has called on Trump to drop out of the race.
"With the news that Donald Trump has been indicted for the second time, our country finds itself in a position that weakens our democracy," said Hutchinson in a press release. "Donald Trump's actions — from his willful disregard for the Constitution to his disrespect for the rule of law — should not define our nation or the Republican Party. This is a sad day for our country. While Donald Trump is entitled to the presumption of innocence, the ongoing criminal proceedings will be a major distraction. This reaffirms the need for Donald Trump to respect the office and end his campaign."
The Justice Department indicted Donald Trump on Thursday over the former president's hoarding of government records, according to the New York Times, citing multiple people familiar with the matter. The precise charges weren't immediately known, but the Times reported that one person briefed on the matter said there were seven counts.
With the indictment, Trump became the first current or former president in American history to face federal criminal charges. The indictment sets the stage for an extraordinary prosecution pitting the Justice Department against a former president who is campaigning to return to the White House.
The indictment may also further radicalize Trump's MAGA base of supporters. Trump has alluded to the possibility of violence if he is arrested, as he did in the run-up to his indictment by a New York grand jury.
Hutchinson is currently polling at less than 1 percent in the 2024 GOP primary, compared to Trump at over 53 percent, according to average of polling from RealClearPolitics. Hutchinson is the first — and so far only — Republican candidate to call for Trump to end his campaign in light of the indictment.
from Business Insider https://ift.tt/KpbwMdk
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