Top-level Republican presidential candidates were largely silent Tuesday in the hours after a Georgia prosecutor announced criminal charges against former President Trump, the fourth set of criminal charges filed against him since March.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, former Vice President Mike Pence, South Carolina Senator Tim Scott, and former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley all remained silent on the matter. Representatives for their campaigns told Yahoo News they did not expect any statements to be issued anytime soon.
Read more from Yahoo News: A Look At The 19 People Indicted In Georgia’s Indictment Related To Trump’s Election Program, through the Associated Press
The reactions of this group of candidates to the previous three charges have been mixed. Pence has been the most aggressive critic of Trump, while the other three have at times acknowledged the seriousness of Special Counsel Jack Smith’s charges while also alleging partisan unfairness to the justice system.
Chris Christie beats Georgia prosecutor Fani Willis
Several lower-level candidates were the only ones to comment Tuesday morning on the fourth and final indictment.
Former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, who has been a fierce critic of Trump, was dismissive of the Fulton County indictment announced Monday night.
“I guess it wasn’t necessary,” Christie, a former federal prosecutor’s office, said on Fox News. He argued that Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis should have been sidelined after the special counsel’s office filed charges in two cases, one over Trump’s handling of classified documents and another over Trump’s attempts to interfere with the election. 2020 undone.
“She’s been researching this thing for two, two and a half years. Jack Smith came in last year. He dives in. It charges quickly. She says, ‘Whoa, wait a minute. I’ve been looking into this,” Christie theorized. “I’m sure this indicates that there is no cooperation between her office and the special counsel’s office.”
“I’m sure he wanted her to put it off. She chose not to,” Christie said. out.'”
Will Hurd, Vivek Ramaswamy weigh in
Other long-awaited Republican hopefuls gave more predictable answers. Former Texas Representative Will Hurd said the latest indictment is “another example of how former President Joe Biden’s baggage will run for re-election if Trump is the Republican nominee.”
Meanwhile, hedge fund and biotech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy called the allegations “politicized persecution by persecution.”
Read more from Yahoo News: Who is Fani Willis?
