Tim Scott deflects when asked about Trump’s claim he ‘nearly escaped death’ in FBI raid

Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.) dodged a question Sunday over former President Trump’s false claims that he was in mortal danger when the FBI raided his Florida home last year, as the South Carolina Republican hopes to join the former president on his November election ticket.

Trump said last week that the FBI was “locked & loaded and ready to take me out” when agents searched his Mar-a-Lago estate for missing classified documents, remarks that were met with quick pushback from the Department of Justice and criticism from Democrats.

Scott didn’t address the language Sunday when asked by CNN’s Dana Bash on “State of the Union.” Bash noted that President Biden faced a similar search for classified documents.

“I saw the video of the SWAT team from the FBI raiding Mar-a-Lago. I have not seen the same video of them raiding Joe Biden’s garage, so I’d love to have that comparison,” Scott said. “But more importantly, once again, we find ourselves reinforcing this two-tiered justice system — where we see a different standard for Republicans and specifically a different standard for Donald Trump.”

Attorney General Merrick Garland called Trump’s comments last week “extremely dangerous,” adding that Trump was describing standard FBI policy for searches.

Bash pushed Scott for an answer, pointing out comments from former Trump adviser Steve Bannon calling the search an “assassination attempt.” Scott again dodged.

“Watching the treatment of Joe Biden by the justice system, when they have found him unable to stand before a jury of his peers because he’s too old, frankly, and his memory is shot, that is not the kind of simple, fair justice system that Americans expect,” Scott said. 

“So it is very difficult to see this justice system currently playing out where it is [unfair] to both Donald Trump and Republicans, as we’ve seen the kid gloves and the insulation around Joe Biden and his family,” he continued. “We all want fairness without any question, especially when Lady Justice should wear a blindfold. But we don’t see that playing out, Dana.”

While Republicans, led by Trump, commonly claim that the Department of Justice treats Democrats differently, a pair of Democratic congresspeople — Sen. Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) and Rep. Henry Cuellar (D-Texas) — are under federal indictment.

Scott is considered to be a finalist to be Trump’s vice-presidential candidate. A former primary rival of Trump, Scott has turned into one of his loudest advocates in the media, making near-weekly appearances on Sunday shows to defend the former president.