President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris have both refused to comment on the criminal charges against former President Donald Trump in New York.
When asked about the indictment while leaving the White House to tour storm damage in Mississippi, Biden simply said, “I’m not going to talk about Trump’s indictment.”
Harris echoed the sentiment during a press conference in Zambia, part of her weeklong trip across Africa. “I am not going to comment on an ongoing criminal case as it relates to the former president,” she said.
The Manhattan district attorney, Alvin Bragg, has been investigating Trump’s hush money payment to Stormy Daniels and assorted fraud allegations.
Hichilema, the president of Zambia who appeared alongside Harris at the news conference, expressed support for equal application of the law, but was careful to not refer to Trump directly.
“When there’s transgression against the law, it does not matter who is involved,” Hichilema said. “I think that is what the rule of law means. I take out the name, I put in place of the name what we citizens of our countries — citizens of the global community — must do to … exercise our rights and freedoms.”
And Hichilema’s statement is one we can put to a litmus test when it comes to the twice impeached former President. The fact is, DA Bragg has brought these types of financial fraud charges well over 100 times in his time in office, which is under two years. This is not “singling Trump out” like he and his allies contend.
It is also refreshing to see the current President take “the high road” and not comment on the charges against Trump. America knows all too well Trump did everything he could to put his thumb on the sacales of justice during his Presidency. Even before his term, during his campaign, he repeatedly called for his opponent, Hillary Clinton, to be “locked up” even leading his rally crowds in chants of “lock her up.” He also accused former President Obama of committing treason. And that is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to Trump accusing others of crimes and malfeasance over the years.
Decades before he was President, Trump also tried to influence a rape case in New York by purchasing full page ads that called for the conviction and execution of individuals known as the “Central Park Five.” They would years later be found to be innocent of the charges Trump backed and were wrongly convicted of.
Biden taking the more civil and presidential path here clearly shows the majority of the nation is doing everything it can to move on from the Trump presidency.
