Donald Trump arrest: Romney says ‘New York prosecutor stretched to reach felony criminal charges’

Senator Mitt Romney, who voted to impeach former President Donald Trump twice, has spoken out about the legal justification for the Trump indictment. The Utah senator is skeptical of the felony charges brought against Trump, warning that the charges set “a dangerous precedent for criminalizing political opponents and damages the public’s faith in our justice system”.

Romney’s comments are rare support for the former president. As one of the most prominent critics of President Trump within the GOP, Romney voted to convict Trump in both impeachment trials and was the only Senate Republican to support abuse of power charges against Trump in his first trial.

Although he does not support Trump’s second run for the White House, Romney has criticized Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg while calling the charges “overreach”.

“I believe President Trump’s character and conduct make him unfit for office,” Romney said in a statement. “Even so, I believe the New York prosecutor has stretched to reach felony criminal charges in order to fit a political agenda. No one is above the law, not even former presidents, but everyone is entitled to equal treatment under law.”

Romney added that “The charges and evidence will be duly considered and the outcome decided by a jury with an obligation to fulfill its responsibility with the utmost care and impartiality”.

In contrast to mostly silence from Senate Republican leadership, Romney’s statement sets a new standard for his party. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and Minority Whip John Thune have not responded to the indictment.

President Trump pleaded not guilty on Tuesday to 34 felony counts of falsifying business records. The prosecutors accused him of paying two women to suppress their accounts of sexual encounters with him.