Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren echoed other Democrats in her reaction to former President Donald Trump’s indictment, saying it shows “no one is above the law, not even a former president of the United States.”
She sees this as a significant moment in history and a testament to the criminal justice system’s functionality.
“This is a very sober time for our country, a real moment in history,” Warren told “CBS Mornings” on Friday. “And yet I think the most important part of this is to say that a foundational piece of our democracy is holding, that it is possible to have an independent investigation, to go wherever the facts lead, and then to follow the process through.”
Trump is the first former president in U.S. history to face criminal charges, after a New York grand jury investigating the circumstances surrounding a “hush money” payment to adult film star Stormy Daniels in 2016 voted to indict him. The details of the charge or charges have not been disclosed.
Trump called the indictment “Political Persecution and Election Interference at the highest level in history,” in a statement on Thursday. According to Trump’s lawyer, Joe Tacopina, the former president is “upset” and “angry,” but “not worried at all.”
“This is a case that would not have been brought against another individual in this country if his name wasn’t Donald Trump, pursued by a prosecutor who has obviously very diverse political views from the president,” Tacopina told “CBS Mornings” on Friday. “So, it’s a very troubling case because there’s no crime here.”
Warren said everyone needs to “trust the process” and that Trump has the opportunity to plead not guilty and bring forward whatever evidence he wants.
“There is no reason to believe there’s been anything other than an independent investigation. It’s walked through all the steps. It is a grand jury, according to the evidence released, that has voted independently and we will go forward with that process,” Warren said.
Warren expressed concern about violence possibly arising from the indictment, and said people should take a deep breath, be calm and say, “this is one more step in the legal process.”
“Donald Trump is going to have plenty of opportunities to make his case in open court, and the prosecution will have the same opportunity,” she said. “Let the process go forward.”
