Lawmakers on both sides of the political spectrum are responding to former President Donald Trump’s announcement that he expects to be arrested.
The potential indictment charges stem from hush money allegedly paid to adult film actress Stormy Daniels by Trump’s former attorney Michael Cohen, after Daniels claimed she had an affair with Trump in 2006.
Cohen allegedly paid Daniels $130,000 to keep quiet about the affair leading up to the 2016 presidential campaign for Trump, and prosecutors now allege that Trump’s making those payments broke campaign finance laws.
Trump denies all allegations, including the affair.
Republican lawmakers, including former Vice President and Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy, have called the potential prosecution politically charged and an abuse of power, while top Democrats have called Trump’s announcement reckless and potentially inciting violence.
Trump himself has suggested that being indicted could actually help his campaign and says there is nothing in the Constitution that says a presidential candidate has to sit out simply because they are facing legal charges.
