Former President Donald Trump will emerge "stronger" in his reelection campaign after being charged in a federal indictment for alleged crimes in connection with documents stored at his Mar-a-Lago estate, Sen. Lindsey Graham insisted Sunday.
"I think Donald Trump is stronger today politically than he was before," the South Carolina Republican said on ABC's "This Week," telling anchor George Stephanopoulos that "we'll have an election and we'll have a trial, but I promise you this: Most Americans believe, most Republicans believe, that the law is used as a weapon against Donald Trump."
In the federal indictment, released Friday, Trump is facing 31 counts of violating the Espionage Act through the "willful retention" of classified records and six counts that include obstruction of justice and making false statements.
Graham said Sunday that Trump was not only impeached after he left office, but he is facing charges in Manhattan, and now, "you are accusing the guy of being a spy through espionage."
He added that the indictment will not change his support for Trump.
"He's innocent until proven guilty," the senator said. "What I am trying to convey to you and I am sorry that I am not doing a better job, is that most Republicans believe that the law now is a political tool."
Graham added that was shown in the matter of Hunter Biden's laptop, as "the people in charge had their thumbs on the scale. The reason it was not known to be true, in October 2020 [during] the election, is the intelligence community wanted you to believe it was Russian disinformation when it was not. The double standards are in the minds of most Republicans."
Meanwhile, Graham said he has not heard the audio of Trump discussing a military document with others at his Bedminster, N.J. home while acknowledging it was still classified.
"I'm not saying it's OK," Graham said. "I am not saying it is OK to take a hammer to a BlackBerry," he added, referring to former Hillary Clinton's scandal on information. "I think none of this is OK."
He further compared the matter to Clinton, whose use of personal email containing classified records hindered her 2016 presidential bid.
"You have vice presidents, secretaries of states, and presidents handling this stuff," said Graham. "You had Bill Clinton with tapes in his sock drawer. I would like to review the system."
But with Trump, the espionage charges are completely wrong and they paint an impression that does not exist," said Graham.
"This is not espionage," he said, adding that Democrats can do similar things but nothing happens to them.
"Most people on my side of the aisle believe when it comes to Donald Trump, there are no rules," said Graham.
Sandy Fitzgerald ✉
Sandy Fitzgerald has more than three decades in journalism and serves as a general assignment writer for Newsmax covering news, media, and politics.
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