Democrat Senator Joe Manchin of West Virginia said Sunday that Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg must take steps to “remove all doubt” in the U.A. judicial process after a New York grand jury voted Thursday to indict former President Donald Trump after a years-long investigation.
Sen. Manchin, during an appearance on CNN’s “State of the Union,” argued that the indictment risks possibly further dividing Americans and risking the public’s trust in the justice system.
“It’s a very sad time for America to go through what we’re going through now,” said Manchin. “People are being divided, and they think that justice might be biased. We have to make sure that we wait to see what comes out next week, and I hope they do their job. And I’ve said this, no one’s above the law, but no one should be targeted by the law, especially through the political process. So, we’ll just wait and see next week. I hope they are very thorough.”
Dana Bash, a CNN anchor, asked the senator to clarify if he believes Trump, who is running for another presidential term in 2024, has been targeted by D.A. Bragg for political reasons.
“Is that what you think is going on here? That he is a political target?” asked Bash.
“No, I’m saying you have to remove all doubt,” replied Manchin. “You have to remove all doubt. You have to make sure you cross every t and dot every I, as they say. But, you know that no person, the president, myself, or anybody else in Congress, no matter what your status is, in the United States of America, you’re not above the law. And on the other hand, no person should be targeted by the law either. So, let’s make sure that’s cleared up, and let’s see where it goes.”
Manchin continued his message during an appearance on NBC News’ “Meet the Press,” saying there’s a “segment of society who believes that maybe it’s biased, that the system doesn’t work for all.
Manchin: “We must come together”
“We must come together. The American people want us to do our job,” said Manchin. “Let’s wait until what comes out next week. Let’s see the direction this goes. But the bottom line is it’s a very sad time in America. You have geopolitical unrest around the world. Just think of the people who don’t wish our society or our form of democracy to work, whether it be China, Russia, or whoever. They’re looking and saying, ‘Oh my goodness, let’s just sit back and kind of watch this melee unfold.’ Well, I want to show them that as Americans, we can work together.”
President Trump raised more than $5 million in donations 48 hours after his Thursday indictment. The specific charges of the indictment are still sealed, but Joe Tacopina, Trump’s attorney, said on Thursday evening that Trump might be facing more than 30 counts next week when he is arraigned.
The charges are tied to the former president’s role in sending hush money payments to former stripper and porn actress Stormy Daniels in an alleged attempt to keep her from speaking out about their possible relationship.
Former President Trump is expected to travel from his Mar-a-Lago estate to New York City on Monday before his Tuesday arraignment.
The Secret Service will accompany the former president as he is booked in New York, photographed, and fingerprinted.
