Scott supports McCarthy-led investigation on Trump indictment

By Eric Daugherty

Published Apr. 5, 2023, 10:10 a.m. ET | Updated Apr. 5, 2023

Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., speaking with attendees at the 2021 Student Action Summit hosted by Turning Point USA at the Tampa Convention Center in Tampa, Fla., July 17, 2021. (Photo/Gage Skidmore)

WASHGINGTON, D.C. (FLV) – Both of Florida’s Republican senators decried Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s 34-count felony indictment of former President Donald Trump, which now might face scrutiny from congressional Republicans led by House Speaker Kevin McCarthy.

Tuesday, a few hours after Trump was arraigned at a Manhattan courthouse, McCarthy announced on social media that Bragg’s “weaponizing of the federal justice process will be held accountable by Congress.”

“Alvin Bragg is attempting to interfere in our democratic process by invoking federal law to bring politicized charges against President Trump, admittedly using federal funds, while at the same time arguing that the peoples’ representatives in Congress lack jurisdiction to investigate this farce,” the speaker said.

Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., got behind McCarthy’s vows for congressional oversight on the unprecedented indictment of a former president.

“Agreed,” Scott reacted. “Bragg is grossly politicizing the American justice system and I fully support @SpeakerMcCarthy leading investigations on this.”

Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., also denounced the indictment, arguing Bragg has set a frightening precedent that there’s no turning back from.

“Put aside [whether] you like Trump or not […] Today is a bad day for all of us,” Rubio said.

“Every prosecutor in America that wants to make a name for themselves now is going to have permission to basically go after someone in the other party.”

Last week, Bragg’s office’s counsel fired warning shots at House Republicans, urging them to denounce Trump’s attacks on the Manhattan investigation.

The Manhattan office accused some House Republicans, like Reps. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, of choosing to “collaborate” with the former president in targeting “the integrity of elected state prosecutors and trial judges.”

Tuesday, Trump plead not guilty to 34 felony counts of falsifying business records. Reactions to the indictment from supporters of Trump were predictably negative, and the former president’s campaign is using the situation to bolster fundraising efforts.

At a speech in Mar-a-Lago Tuesday night, Trump vowed a comeback, saying, “Nevertheless […] we will make America great again.”