Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) is facing backlash after commenting on the latest indictment against former President Donald Trump, admittedly without reading it first.
Unlike his somewhat aloof and sarcastic reaction to Trump’s indictment at the hands of Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, DeSantis opted to react quickly to the news of Special Counsel Jack Smith announcing that a grand jury in Washington, D.C., had indicted Trump on charges relating to the January 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol.
“As President, I will end the weaponization of government, replace the FBI Director, and ensure a single standard of justice for all Americans,” DeSantis said in the statement posted to social media, admitting that he had not read the indictment.
“While I’ve seen reports, I have not read the indictment. I do, though, believe we need to enact reforms so that Americans have the right to remove cases from Washington, DC to their home districts,” he said, describing Washington, D.C., as a “swamp” and concluding that it is “unfair to have to stand trial before a jury that is reflective of the swamp mentality.”
“One of the reasons our country is in decline is the politicization of the rule of law. No more excuses—I will end the weaponization of the federal government,” he added.
As President, I will end the weaponization of government, replace the FBI Director, and ensure a single standard of justice for all Americans.
— Ron DeSantis (@RonDeSantis) August 1, 2023
While I’ve seen reports, I have not read the indictment. I do, though, believe we need to enact reforms so that Americans have the right…
However, many on both sides of the political aisle quickly criticized DeSantis’s response.
“‘While I’ve seen reports, I have not read the indictment.’ Come on man. This is soulless legalese. Take a fucking stand and have some passion,” author, filmmaker, and highly followed conservative social influencer Mike Cernovich remarked, as others expressed similar sentiments.
“While I’ve seen reports, I have not read the indictment.”
— Cernovich (@Cernovich) August 1, 2023
Come on man. This is soulless legalese.
Take a fucking stand and have some passion.
“’While I’ve seen reports, I have not read the indictment’ – sir, the indictment dropped 15 mins *before* you tweeted this. This boilerplate statement doesn’t cut it,” Zachery Henry, the deputy communications director for Vivek Ramaswamy, remarked.
“While I’ve seen reports, I have not read the indictment” - sir, the indictment dropped 15 mins *before* you tweeted this. This boilerplate statement doesn’t cut it.
— Zachery Henry (@zhenryaz) August 1, 2023
“Had a chance to read this BS from the regime trying to interfere in the election by removing your number one political opponent on sham charges (for the third time) yet?” Trump spokeswoman Liz Harrington wrote.
“Give me a break. How do you beat the deep state if your goals are the same as theirs?” she asked as more piled on.
Had a chance to read this BS from the regime trying to interfere in the election by removing your number one political opponent on sham charges (for the third time) yet?
— Liz Harrington (@realLizUSA) August 1, 2023
Give me a break. How do you beat the deep state if your goals are the same as theirs? https://t.co/12gKMyC5He
Your state has more J6 defendants than any other. They have been targeted by this DOJ exactly the same as Donald Trump or any other high profile Republican. They needed help. None of them have heard from you or any other elected official in Florida.
— Brandon Straka (@BrandonStraka) August 2, 2023
I’ve not read the indictment, but I have really strong feelings about it anyway. https://t.co/iyFbolnJLn
— S.V. Dáte (@svdate) August 2, 2023
Your entire campaign strategy has been to bank on Merrick Garland using lawfare to imprison Donald Trump.
— Jason D. Meister 🇺🇸 (@jason_meister) August 2, 2023
For this reason you will never be president. https://t.co/TpeUiYGCLv
More mush from the wimp https://t.co/Fc3wJvso3Q
— David Frum (@davidfrum) August 1, 2023
DeSantis says he’ll allow “Americans” to transfer cases from DC to the Defendant’s “home district”? #DeSantis is a lawyer so he knows how absurd this is.
— Judge David Carpenter (@DavidOCarpenter) August 2, 2023
But sure, the guy who enacted legislation to specifically punish #Disney will end the weaponization of government. https://t.co/gPmb2VG42Y
If you haven’t read the indictment, maybe that speaks to your inability to process real time information about things that threaten our national security https://t.co/EZ5uG59wpO
— Elizabeth Spiers (@espiers) August 2, 2023
So no wise-cracks - this time - about “hush money for porn stars?”
— Sebastian Gorka DrG (@SebGorka) August 1, 2023
What happened to you Ron? https://t.co/XWwEu8QwFz
YOUR TOP POLITICAL OPPONENT IS BEING UNJUSTLY PERSECUTED.
— Caitlyn Jenner (@Caitlyn_Jenner) August 1, 2023
Agree to pardon him! This is a sham and you know it. But you hope you benefit from it. SHAME ON TEAM DESANTIS! https://t.co/hpJRIt422I
DeSantis is not the only Republican to offer what many consider to be a lackluster response to the third indictment. Former Vice President Mike Pence used the opportunity to make the case for Trump not to be president, even suggesting that Trump placed himself above the Constitution.
I will have more to say about the government’s case after reviewing the indictment. The former president is entitled to the presumption of innocence but with this indictment, his candidacy means more talk about January 6th and more distractions.
— Mike Pence (@Mike_Pence) August 2, 2023
Trump thanked Americans for their support on Wednesday in the wake of the continued targeted harassment, concluding the indictment “HAS AWOKEN THE WORLD TO THE CORRUPTION, SCANDAL, & FAILURE THAT HAS TAKEN PLACE IN THE UNITED STATES FOR THE PAST THREE YEARS.”
RELATED — Trump on Jack Smith’s Superseding Indictment: “This Is Harassment”
Matthew Perdie / Breitbart News, Jack Knudsen / Breitbart News