GOP rep: ‘If this were anyone but Trump, would this DA even take up this case?’

Rep. Dan Crenshaw (R-Texas) on Sunday knocked the Manhattan district attorney’s case against former President Trump as “weak,” adding to a chorus of GOP voices who contend that Trump’s recent indictment was politically motivated.

“You don’t have to be a lawyer to look at this case and think it’s on pretty weak grounds… And whatever evidence they might have, you’re still talking about the very low level business fraud charges. So I think people need to ask themselves a fundamental question: If this were anyone but Trump, would this DA even take up this case?” Crenshaw said on CNN’s “State of the Union.” Host Dana Bash noted that the exact charges in this case are unknown.

“I mean, this DA has a habit of not taking up cases that are pretty serious, like violent crime and prostitution rings, things like that. But he chooses to take up this one. It feels obvious to a lot of us that it’s politically motivated. It’s personally motivated,” Crenshaw said. Bash then countered she’s “not sure that’s accurate” to say the DA isn’t bringing up violent crime charges.

Trump, who was  indicted last week for his alleged role in organizing hush money payments to adult film star Stormy Daniels, is expected to appear in New York for arraignment on Tuesday. The former president and others in the GOP have dismissed the case as politically motivated and attacked Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg (D) for bringing it forward.

Trump is now the first sitting or former president to face criminal charges. He is also running for president in 2024.

Crenshaw said on Sunday that former presidents should “definitely not be immune from criminal charges,” but argued this case is “as weak as they can get, it seems.”

“You’re looking at a supposed crime that’s years and years and years old. It’s very clearly personally motivated,” he said.