Classified documents case: Former US President Donald Trump calls his indictment 'ridiculous' and 'baseless'
Donald Trump has cast his federal indictment as ‘election interference,’ telling Georgia Republicans it represented an abuse of power by the Biden administration. The former President is scheduled to appear in a federal courtroom in Miami on Tuesday, where he will be read the charges against him.
PremiumFormer US president Donald Trump who his first public appearance at Republican Party convention in Georgia has described his federal indictment as "ridiculous" and "baseless".
His remarks came after the charges against him were unsealed, accusing him of 37 counts, including 31 counts of willful retention of sensitive documents related to national defense information at his Mar-a-Lago property, CNN reported. Other charges include: conspiracy to obstruct justice; corruptly concealing a document or record; concealing a document in a federal investigation; and making false statements. The stored classified documents at his Mar-a-Lago residence were store in a ballroom, a bathroom and shower, and office space, his bedroom, and a storage room.
Also Read: 'Don't want anybody looking through my boxes,' Donald Trump's indictment states; Key takeaways
Trump on Saturday cast his federal indictment as "election interference," telling Georgia Republicans it represented an abuse of power by the Biden administration, it reported.
"This is a political hit job. Republicans are treated far different at the Justice Department than Democrats," said Trump who offered no evidence for his claims at a state GOP convention in Columbus.
The former president has been indicted with 37 counts in the Mar-a-Lago documents case. The unsealed indictment which was released on Friday, alleged that Trump unlawfully possessed classified files related to US nuclear and defense programs.
Also Read: Donald Trump indictment: Former US President can now file a lawsuit against his niece
While addressing the people in Georgia, he added that any other Republican at the top of the party's 2024 ticket will face similar scrutiny and legal challenges, as per the CNN report.
"The ridiculous and baseless indictment of me by the Biden administration's weaponized department of injustice will go down as among the most horrific abuses of power in the history of our country," CNN quoted the former president as saying.
Trump's remarks were reminiscent of his first rally after last summer's FBI search of his Mar-A-Lago estate. Speaking to supporters in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, in September, Trump accused Biden of weaponizing federal law enforcement in what he said was "one of the most shocking abuses of power by any administration in American history,"as per the news report.
Donald Trump said, "Somebody else? They're not going to withstand that fire."
While speaking about his second indictment in less than three months, he said, "Our people are angry." He denied wrongdoing and called the probe as "a sad day for the country." He is scheduled to appear in a federal courtroom in Miami on Tuesday, where he will be read the charges against him.
Trump has avoided legal culpability in his personal, professional and political lives. He has settled a number of private civil legal cases through the years and paid his way out of disputes concerning the Trump Organization, according to CNN report.
After leaving office, the US Justice Department's criminal probe into the alleged retention of classified information at Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort and his efforts to overturn the 2020 election cast dark clouds over the former president. Earlier in March, the Manhattan district attorney in New York indicted Trump on charges related to hush-money payments to a former adult star.
Meanwhile, Trump's first court appearance on Tuesday is expected to be in front of a magistrate judge in Miami, the case was filed in West Palm Beach — about 70 miles to the north. The case was assigned to Judge Aileen Cannon, a Trump appointee, who issued rulings favorable to him last year and expressed repeated skepticism of Justice Department positions.
(With inputs from ANI)
"Exciting news! Mint is now on WhatsApp Channels 🚀 Subscribe today by clicking the link and stay updated with the latest financial insights!" Click here!
