Washington Examiner

Trump remains in the lead despite the possibility of a third indictment.

News of⁢ a ⁢Third Possible⁤ Indictment Against Former President Donald Trump

News of⁢ a‍ third ‌possible indictment‍ against former ‌President Donald‍ Trump ⁤may have dominated ‌the news cycle this week but‌ has⁤ yet ​to become a real⁢ obstacle to him becoming⁣ the GOP’s 2024 presidential⁤ nominee.

The⁤ Republican Party, ⁢including some of‍ his presidential rivals,‍ have largely ⁤banded⁤ against the Department‍ of Justice and FBI for⁤ “weaponizing” federal agencies to⁢ target Trump and conservatives, as‌ Trump himself has argued. During ⁢a Fox News town hall with Sean Hannity on⁤ Tuesday night, Trump claimed ‌special counsel Jack​ Smith’s Jan. ⁤6 Capitol riot investigation ⁢was⁢ “election interference.”

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“Never ‌been done⁣ like this in⁤ the history of our country, ⁢and it’s a disgrace,” Trump also added.

His ‌chief ‌presidential rival, Gov. Ron⁢ DeSantis (R-FL), has⁢ navigated a tightrope of ‍not alienating ardent Trump Republican supporters ⁢but ‌still ​campaigning ⁣as the ​top​ Trump-alternative⁣ candidate. “I think it​ was shown ⁤how he ​was​ in the White House and ⁢didn’t do ⁣anything ‌while‌ things were going on,” ⁢DeSantis said about⁣ Trump’s actions on​ Jan. 6 during a ​South Carolina ‍campaign ⁣event on Tuesday. “He‍ should have⁤ come out more⁢ forcefully, of course ​that, ⁣but to ⁣try ⁤to criminalize that, that’s ‍a​ different ⁢issue entirely.”

In a CNN​ interview⁤ Tuesday ⁢afternoon, ⁤DeSantis​ then said, “This country is going down the ⁤road of criminalizing political ⁤differences,⁢ and I think that’s wrong,” ⁤and ‍that‍ he hopes Trump‌ is‍ not indicted.

Sen. ⁣Ted Cruz (R-TX), a 2016⁤ Republican presidential ⁢candidate and former ​Trump rival, claimed that Smith’s investigation⁤ was unsurprising. “Water ⁢is wet. The⁣ sky is blue. Grass‍ is ⁣green. ⁤There’s⁢ cocaine⁢ in the Biden White ‌House,”⁣ he said on⁢ his ‍Verdict with Ted Cruz ⁤podcast. “And Jack Smith and Merrick Garland are engaged⁢ in ‌a political ⁣vendetta. ​Yes, yes, yes.⁢ Hell‍ yes. This​ is election ‌interference. Anyone who’s ‍surprised, it‌ was obvious​ that⁢ Smith ⁤was ⁣going to ⁢go‍ after Donald Trump.”

Other Capitol​ Hill Republicans, including ⁣House ⁣Speaker Kevin McCarthy ‍(R-CA) and House ‌GOP Conference​ Chairwoman⁤ Elise Stefanik (R-NY)⁤ spoke with‌ Trump ⁣on Tuesday about how lawmakers could​ defend ⁤Trump against‌ the Smith⁤ investigation. ⁢Other Republicans, including vocal ⁣pro-Trump ally Rep. ‍Matt Gaetz (R-FL), ​have already ​come ‍to his defense. “The‌ House of⁢ Representatives needs ​to ‌take action to defund this⁤ special counsel investigation ⁢immediately,” Gaetz⁢ said on his ⁤podcast.

If there is another indictment, it could ​be​ yet another ‌financial boom for Trump.

After‌ Trump’s‌ second ⁤indictment ⁢in ⁤June over ‌allegations​ he mishandled classified ⁢documents, he raised $35 million​ in the second quarter,‌ almost​ twice‌ the $18.8⁤ million he raised​ in the first quarter ‍after he⁢ was ⁤indicted ⁢by ⁣Manhattan District Attorney⁣ Alvin Bragg on ⁤March 30 over a hush money payment ⁤scheme ⁣to a⁢ porn star ​Stormy Daniels during⁢ the 2016 presidential campaign. ⁣In the two weeks after the ​Manhattan indictment, his campaign⁢ said they raised $15.4 million, ⁤a sign⁤ of Trump’s continuing ‌support among the Republican ⁣base. Trump ‌has pushed ‍his supporters to visit his website and join his movement,‌ presumably to⁢ help ‌fundraise for his ⁤campaign.

National polling ⁤shows ⁣that Trump’s​ dominance⁣ in‌ the GOP 2024 ⁣race ⁢has not waned⁣ despite​ his increasing legal ⁢woes. A Morning⁣ Consult ⁣poll released this week shows ‌Trump⁢ garnering⁤ 55%​ support among Republican primary⁣ voters, a 35 percentage point lead over DeSantis, who⁢ polls at‌ 20%.⁤ No⁣ other candidate ‌polls‍ in⁤ the ⁢double ‍digits‌ after‌ Trump and​ DeSantis.

The possible ‌indictment may even lead more GOP voters ⁤to identify ‍with ⁤Trump’s ‍claims‌ he is ‌a victim ‍of political targeting. Case in ⁣point:⁤ Republicans​ have also‌ used ‍the possible indictment to once again decry‍ a‌ two-tier justice‌ system ⁤between Democrats ⁣and the ‌GOP,⁣ in particular‍ the ⁤treatment of ‌President ⁤Joe Biden’s son Hunter‌ and⁤ his legal problems. Hunter Biden ⁢agreed to ‍plead guilty last month to federal charges over ​a failure to ​pay income taxes and‍ illegally ‌possessing a firearm.

“GOP​ primary voters certainly⁣ didn’t imagine the ‌kid gloves⁢ treatment that Joe and Hunter ​Biden are getting from the DOJ ⁣and ​FBI right now. Because ‍these are⁤ two sides of the same coin,” said Ford O’Connell,⁣ a ​Republican strategist based‌ in ⁤Florida. “This is⁣ what is ⁤animating Republican⁤ primary voters ​because they don’t ⁣think that they’re getting‍ a⁢ fair shake from the highest echelons of DC⁢ law enforcement.”

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Jeffrey Lazarus,​ a ⁣political ‍scientist at Georgia⁣ State⁤ University, said a possible indictment​ won’t⁣ likely hurt⁢ Trump in ‍the⁤ GOP primary. “It doesn’t get at the reasons why Trump ‍supporters​ like Trump,” he said. ‍”Trump supporters like Trump‌ because of the ‍things ⁣he’s getting ‍indicted for.”

“The⁤ fact⁣ that ‌he’s ⁢being indicted‌ for them is not​ a⁣ minus for them,” he added.⁣ “It’s a confirmation that ⁢in‍ their⁣ eyes,‍ Trump ​is pushing all‍ the right buttons or making all ‍the right⁣ people mad or⁣ draining the swamp.”



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