Republicans are lashing out against former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) after she suggested former President Donald Trump must “prove innocence” after being indicted by a Manhattan grand jury on Thursday.
Rep. Elise Stefanik, the fourth-highest ranking Republican in the House and a key ally to Trump, criticized Pelosi for that suggestion, accusing the former Democratic leader of encouraging “radical authoritarian” ideals.
REPUBLICANS AND DEMOCRATS ALIKE CASH IN ON INDICTMENT NEWS
“Guilty until proven innocent is not how it works in America,” Stefanik said in a statement. “[Pelosi’s] comments on the unprecedented and corrupt indictment of Former President Donald Trump are deeply offensive, unAmerican, and completely counter to the American principles of equal justice under the law and the presumption of innocence until proven guilty. These comments must be condemned by all.”
Stefanik’s comments come in response to a tweet by Pelosi on Thursday evening in which the former House speaker suggested Trump must prove his innocence at trial. The tweet was later flagged by Twitter, which posted a fact check citing the presumption of innocence as “one of the most basic requirements of a fair trial.”
A grand jury in Manhattan voted to indict Trump on Thursday evening on charges related to a hush-money case that emerged during his first White House run in 2016. The indictment marks the first time a former president has been hit with criminal charges.
The timeline of Trump’s arraignment is not entirely clear, although Manhattan officials said they are working with the former president’s legal team to coordinate a surrender. If Trump complies in accordance with the request, the former president would be photographed and fingerprinted in a New York state courthouse.
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Trump is “likely” to turn himself in as soon as Tuesday, but the former president will not be placed in handcuffs, his legal team said on Friday. Trump was initially asked to surrender on Friday, but his lawyers told New York officials that the former president's security detail would need more time to prepare, according to the Associated Press.
Trump has consistently denied wrongdoing and has accused Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg of leading a politically motivated prosecution against him. He has also denied any affair with porn star Stormy Daniels, who had been looking to make her story known during Trump's 2016 campaign.