Rep. Nancy Mace of South Carolina says the Biden administration secured former President Donald Trump’s GOP nomination for president in 2024 with the new federal indictment out of Florida.
The Republican lawmaker also believes the laws on classified documents are being applied unevenly and the administration appears intent on taking out President Biden’s number one opponent.
“I want to be very clear here: Donald Trump and I have had our ups and downs,” Ms. Mace told Fox News late Thursday. “But I want the American people to know, to make no mistake, this is the executive branch tonight trying to take out their number one opponent for the presidency of the United States in 2024.”
Ms. Mace was reacting to bombshell news that Mr. Trump faced a second criminal indictment.
The exact charges are unclear, but they stem from classified documents held at Mr. Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida and efforts to return them to the National Archives.
One of Mr. Trump’s attorneys, Jim Trusty, told television networks late Thursday that a summons document refers to provisions related to the Espionage Act; obstruction of an official proceeding; falsifying or destroying records pertinent to a federal investigation; and false statements and conspiracy.
DOCUMENT: United States v. Donald J. Trump and Waltine Nauta
Some Republicans said Mr. Trump, who faces trial on separate New York charges and could face other legal issues, will spend more time in the courthouse than on the campaign trail in 2024.
Yet many in the GOP rallied to his defense, saying Mr. Biden had his own stumbles in handling classified documents.
Ms. Mace also pointed to the lack of charges against former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton over her use of a private email server for official business.
“Everyone’s held to a different standard but Donald Trump, and that’s wrong,” Ms. Mace said. “And, I do believe tonight that Joe Biden just secured Donald Trump’s nomination for Republicans in 2024.”
“Donald Trump’s no fan of mine,” she said. “He primaried me last year, so I’m not a shill, but I see this and I see how unfair it’s been.”
• Tom Howell Jr. can be reached at thowell@washingtontimes.com.
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