House

McCarthy says Trump indictment will ‘disrupt the nation’

by Jared Gans - 06/09/23 4:56 PM ET

House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) said the federal indictment of former President Trump will “disrupt the nation,” arguing that it violates the principle of equal justice under the law.

McCarthy said in an interview with Fox News on Friday that other public officials, like President Biden, also possessed documents they should not, but the other officials are not facing charges like Trump is.

“This is going to disrupt this nation because it goes to the core of equal justice for all, which is not being seen today. And we’re not going to stand for it,” he said.

Trump has been charged with 37 counts for his actions, including 31 on the willful retention of national defense information. He is also facing charges of conspiracy to obstruct justice, a scheme to conceal and making false statements and representations, among others.

More Trump indictment coverage from The Hill

Trump and his allies have denounced the investigation as politically motivated, and the former president has asserted he is innocent. He has also referenced the documents that were found at Biden’s home and office that were turned over to the FBI.

A special counsel is conducting an investigation into the Biden documents that were found.

McCarthy said he has spoken to House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) and House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer (R-Ky.) on what they can do to ensure “equal justice.” He said Steven D’Antuono, a former assistant director in charge of the FBI’s Washington, D.C., field office who opposed the surprise search of Mar-a-Lago the FBI conducted in August, testified before the Judiciary Committee and revealed the investigation was conducted improperly.

“When you learn of some of the things that he had said of how this investigation was carried out, you’ll see then that this judgment is wrong by this DOJ, that they treated President Trump differently than they treat others, and it didn’t have to be this way,” McCarthy said.

Special counsel Jack Smith, who has overseen the investigation into Trump, defended the FBI and Justice Department’s conduct during remarks Friday.

“The prosecutors in my office are among the most talented and experienced in the Department of Justice. They have investigated this case hewing to the highest ethical standards, and they will continue to do so as this case proceeds,” he said.