Republican Senator Chuck Grassley is the only member of Iowa’s congressional delegation who’s commented tonight on former President Trump’s announcement that he’s been indicted by a Florida grand jury. In a tweet, Senator Grassley said having Trump indicted on the same day House Republicans had to view a redacted document that contains allegations against President Biden fuels the belief that there are “two standards of justice.”
Some of the GOP presidential candidates who’ve been campaigning in Iowa have weighed in, too. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis said the country is seeing an “uneven application of the law based on political affiliation” and DeSantis asked why Hillary Clinton or Hunter Biden haven’t faced charges.
Vivek Ramaswamy said if he’s elected president, he’d pardon Trump. Perry Johnson, another Republican running for president, is calling on President Biden to pardon Trump now.
Former Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson is the only candidate in the race to call on Trump to end his presidential campaign. Hutchinson said Trump’s actions should not be allowed to define the GOP or the country.
Former Vice President Mike Pence made comments in Iowa before Trump announced he’d been indicted. Pence said such a move would be “extraordinarily divisive” and would send the wrong message to the world. South Carolina Senator Tim Scott has said the 2024 election should be decided by the voters rather than a “weaponized” Justice Department.
Trump, when he campaigned in Iowa last week, said an indictment would be “election interference.”