NEW ORLEANS — Former President Donald Trump was indicted Thursday. He was the first US President to be prosecuted.
Some of Louisiana’s Republican lawmakers are pro-Trump, including Reps Mike Johnson and Clay Higgins.
Trump was charged in an investigation that focused on hush money payments during his 2016 presidential campaign. Allegedly, Trump’s goal was to silence claims of an affair with adult film star Stormy Daniels.
The indictment remains sealed.
House Majority Leader Steve Scalise visited the Eyewitness News studios on Friday morning. Eric Paulsen asked how Scalise could so strongly condemn the charges without knowing what they contain.
“Well, first of all, you’ve seen for weeks that this prosecutor just wanted to prosecute Donald Trump, and I think anyone looking at this objectively would say, okay, they’re saying this is a federal charge that they’re going after.” behind him. Federal authorities didn’t even go after President Trump and the statute of limitations was running out,” Scalise said.
Paulsen said prosecutors are trying to find state charges.
“Well, he’s trying to figure out a way to pursue state charges. The real question you should be asking is if his name was anything other than Donald Trump, do we think that prosecutor would go after him?” Scalise said.
Meanwhile, the city leaders get involved.
Eyewitness News reporter Paul Murphy asked Mayor LaToya Cantrell what she thought of the indictment.
“I just hope that doesn’t stop us from electing the next President of the United States of America. We have good leadership and we’re moving in the right direction, and I just want our country to keep moving in the right direction and not get distracted,” Cantrell said.
Tulane political science professor Brian Brox said the indictment could affect the 2024 election.
Brox said the charges don’t stop Trump from running and it could help him garner more support.
“I think the support he’s lost may be with Republicans who have already been looking for an alternative. I think among his most ardent supporters this will be seen as a partisan process and they will step up their support for him,” Brox said.
Brox said Trump could see a rebound in the Republican primary.
The former president is in the midst of other investigations, including investigations into the January 6 attack on the Capitol and the handling of classified materials at his Mar-A-Lago estate.
A Georgia district attorney is also investigating efforts to overturn the results of Georgia’s 2020 presidential election.
In a statement to Eyewitness News, Congressman Troy Carter said no one is above the law.
“I have complete faith in our country’s justice system and we must allow this process to proceed without political interference or intimidation. Every American is entitled to due process. This is a cornerstone of our democracy and the constitution.
“No one is above the law — not even the former President of the United States,” Carter said.
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