The comments made by Florida Republican Governor Ron DeSantis about former President Donald Trump in relation to the January 6, 2021 violence at the U.S. Capitol sparked a social media outrage on Tuesday.
During a press conference in South Carolina, DeSantis asserted that Trump could have responded more “forcefully” to the disturbance. DeSantis responded to Trump’s admission that he received a letter from Special Counsel Jack Smith informing him of a grand jury investigation into the January 6 events. DeSantis is competing with Trump and other GOP candidates for the Republican presidential nomination.
Trump wrote on his social media platform, Truth Social, that “Deranged Jack Smith, the prosecutor with Joe Biden’s DOJ, sent a letter (again, it was Sunday night!) stating that I am a TARGET of the January 6th Grand Jury investigation, giving me a very short 4 days to report to the Grand Jury, which almost always means an Arrest and Indictment.”
DeSantis advocated against prosecuting Trump for his actions, despite suggesting that he should have taken more action on that day.
“So look, there’s a difference between being brought up on criminal charges and doing things like, for example, I think it was shown how he was in the White House and didn’t do anything while, while things were going on. He should have come out more forcefully, of course, that. But to try to criminalize that, that’s a different issue entirely, and I think that we want to be in a situation where, you know, you don’t have one side just constantly trying to put the other side in jail. And that unfortunately is what we’re seeing now,” DeSantis argued.
Team Trump lying once again and purposely taking @RonDeSantis out of context.
Here’s his full answer: “So look, there’s a difference between being brought up on criminal charges and doing things like, for example, I think it was shown how he was in the White House and didn’t do… https://t.co/Nhe7D6CSxV pic.twitter.com/h89QggvarG
— DeSantis War Room 🐊 (@DeSantisWarRoom) July 18, 2023
Leftwing CNN’s report on the matter states, “A target letter from federal prosecutors to Trump makes clear that prosecutors are focused on Trump’s actions in the investigation into overturning the 2020 election – and not just of those around him who tried to stop his election loss.”
“Justice Department regulations allow for prosecutors to notify subjects of an investigation that they have become a target. Often a notification that a person is a target is a strong sign an indictment could follow, but it is possible the recipient is not ultimately charged. Those notifications aren’t required, but prosecutors have the discretion to notify subjects that they have become a target. Once informed, a target has the opportunity to present evidence or testify to the grand jury if they choose,” the source added. the location specified.
— VK (@vjeannek) July 18, 2023
You people are scumbags. I will write-in Trump's name, before I would ever vote for this Paul-Ryan-POS-puppet you are trying to shove down our throats. Screw you and that socially awkward, girly-voiced traitor Ron DeSantis.
— Amy Moreno (@VivaLaAmes11) July 18, 2023
Trump claimed to have received the letter on Sunday and stated that he expects to be arrested and prosecuted.
This isn’t the win you think it is.
It just makes your boy look more like he supports the Jan 6 committe and their pack of lies.
You guys are REALLY bad at this.
— Joe Bidens Last Brain Cell (@BidensBrainCelI) July 18, 2023
Smith is also critical of Trump’s handling of the sensitive documents discovered at Mar-a-Lago last year.
In June, Trump arrived in Miami for his arraignment in the case lodged against him by Smith, who was selected by Biden’s Department of Justice. Trump’s counsel submitted a “not guilty” plea on his behalf.
More on this story via The Republic Brief:
The indictment claims that on at least two separate occasions, Trump exposed a number of individuals who lacked the necessary security clearances to classified information. Both incidents allegedly took place at Trump’s golf club in Bedminster, New Jersey, according to the DOJ. CONTINUE READING…