Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL) took a dig at the mentality of a Washington, D.C., jury on Wednesday, claiming the jury would indict and convict a ham sandwich if it were a "Republican ham sandwich."
The comment was a swipe at the capabilities of residents in the country's capital, which is largely made up of Democrats, to serve on juries in a nonpartisan manner. DeSantis suggested importing jurors from across the United States for the trial of former President Donald Trump. Trump was indicted by a Washington grand jury on Tuesday on charges related to the Jan. 6 riot.
DONALD TRUMP INDICTED: THREE TAKEAWAYS FROM FORMER PRESIDENT’S THIRD INDICTMENT
"The reality is, a D.C. jury would indict a ham sandwich and convict a ham sandwich if it was a Republican ham sandwich," DeSantis told Fox News host Harris Faulkner.
"I think Americans need to be able to remove cases out of D.C. I think the juries are stacked. I think that they're going to want to convict people that they disagree with. Or at a minimum, you should be able to draw jury pool from across the entire country," he added.
RON DESANTIS:
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) August 2, 2023
"A D.C. jury would indict a ham sandwich, and convict a ham sandwich, if it was a Republican ham sandwich!" pic.twitter.com/ULcq2kQEAm
The comment follows a post DeSantis made on the social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, on Tuesday night. It was in response to Trump's indictment, which saw him charged with three conspiracy charges and one "obstruction of an official proceeding" charge.
"I do though, believe we need to enact reforms so that Americans have the right to remove cases from Washington D.C. to their home districts," DeSantis shared on X. "Washington D.C. is a 'swamp' and 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."
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…
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DeSantis is considered Trump's biggest challenger for the Republican presidential nomination next year, though recent polls have not been as strong as experts predicted. The governor has floated the idea of pardoning Trump on day one, if elected, for his alleged role in the riot, along with the rioters.
Trump has been ordered to appear in Washington district court on Thursday. He will appear before Magistrate Judge Moxila A. Upadhyaya for his arraignment and is expected to plead not guilty to all four charges.