Wisconsin leaders react to Donald Trump's indictment

MILWAUKEE — Former U.S. President Donald Trump was indicted by a Manhattan grand jury on Thursday on charges involving "hush money" payments made during the 2016 presidential campaign to porn actor Stormy Daniels, according to the Associated Press.

This is the first criminal case against a former U.S. president as Trump seeks to return to the White House in the 2024 presidential race. Trump has denied any wrongdoing, calling the indictment a "witch hunt" in a statement on Thursday.

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"This is Political Persecution and Election Interference at the highest level in history," Trump's statement said in part. "From the time I came down the golden escalator at Trump Tower, and even before I was sworn in as your President of the United States, the Radical Left Democrats - the enemy of the hard-working men and women of this Country - have been engaged in a Witch-Hunt to destroy the Make America Great Again movement."
As the news broke Thursday evening, lawmakers and leaders across Wisconsin began reacting and sharing their opinion.

This article will be updated as statements are released.

Donald J. Trump:

“This is Political Persecution and Election Interference at the highest level in history. From the time I came down the golden escalator at Trump Tower, and even before I was sworn in as your President of the United States, the Radical Left Democrats - the enemy of the hard-working men and women of this Country - have been engaged in a Witch-Hunt to destroy the Make America Great Again movement. You remember it just like I do: Russia, Russia, Russia; the Mueller Hoax; Ukraine, Ukraine, Ukraine; Impeachment Hoax 1; Impeachment Hoax 2; the illegal and unconstitutional Mar-a-Lago raid; and now this.

“The Democrats have lied, cheated and stolen in their obsession with trying to ‘Get Trump,’ but now they’ve done the unthinkable - indicting a completely innocent person in an act of blatant Election Interference.

“Never before in our Nation’s history has this been done. The Democrats have cheated countless times over the decades, including spying on my campaign, but weaponizing our justice system to punish a political opponent, who just so happens to be a President of the United States and by far the leading Republican candidate for President, has never happened before. Ever.

“Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg, who was hand-picked and funded by George Soros, is a disgrace. Rather than stopping the unprecedented crime wave taking over New York City, he’s doing Joe Biden’s dirty work, ignoring the murders and burglaries and assaults he should be focused on. This is how Bragg spends his time!

“I believe this Witch-Hunt will backfire massively on Joe Biden. The American people realize exactly what the Radical Left Democrats are doing here. Everyone can see it. So our Movement, and our Party - united and strong - will first defeat Alvin Bragg, and then we will defeat Joe Biden, and we are going to throw every last one of these Crooked Democrats out of office so we can MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!”

Republican Party of Wisconsin Chairman Brian Schimming:

“Prosecuting the former president is simply a political game for the left. This type of overreach from the DA is an abuse of power, a grave danger to democracy, and what happens when liberals decide to politicize the judicial branch of government.“

Senator Ron Johnson

"With all the problems facing our country — many exacerbated by Radical Left governance — now a George Soros funded D.A. issues a political indictment against a former president. Leftists are destroying America."

Senator Chris Larson

"This is a sad day for America," Larson tweeted. "What an absolute travesty that we had such an awful president that he is now the first to be indicted, forever tarnishing that office even more than he has already. But the far great travesty is that our broken criminal justice system, so quick to jail the poor and the innocent, took this long to finally bring charges against someone who was so clearly guilty of so many blatant crimes. What took so long? Why should it matter what office he held or what social status he had. Each person should be treated the same under the law. Period."

Senator Melissa Agard

"No politician is above the law."

5th District Congressman Scott Fitzgerald

“The indictment of former President Trump is just the latest of the weaponization of government against conservatives. Radical District Attorney Alvin Bragg, who is best known for charging a bodega clerk with murder for defending himself, has largely ignored Congress and abused his office to seek a political prosecution of the former President, rather than focus on the rampant violent crimes in his own backyard. Bragg’s latest political stunt is outrageous and unbecoming of his office.”

3rd District Congressman Derrick Van Orden

"The politically driven indictment of President Trump is just the latest example of the weaponization of the goverment by the left. Their blatant abuse of power is destroying our democracy and should be resoundingly condemned by all Americans who care about the rule of law."

Rep. Mark Pocan

"No one is above the law, not even a former President," Pocan tweeted. "That's a good thing. It means our democracy is strong."

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