Texas Republicans swiftly condemn Donald Trump indictment: ‘Utter garbage’

Among the swiftest to tear into the indictment was Sen. Ted Cruz , who tweeted: “The Democrat Party’s hatred for Donald Trump knows no bounds. The ‘substance’ of this political persecution is utter garbage. This is completely unprecedented and is a catastrophic escalation in the weaponization of the justice system.” Cruz later called Thursday a “tragic day for our country.”

Today is an absolute outrage and tragic day for our country.

— Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) March 31, 2023

Gov. Greg Abbott also spoke out on Twitter, calling the decision an “abhorrent abuse of power.” He added: “The George Soros-supported NYC DA is only furthering the radical liberal agenda to have elections determined at the jury box rather than the ballot box. America deserves better.”

But the outpouring of support for Trump didn’t stop there. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton , a longtime Trump ally, also called the indictment an abuse of power in a statement that echoed that of his colleagues. “The radical left has consistently weaponized our courts to silence conservative voices,” Paxton wrote on Twitter. “The actions by the Soros-backed Democrat DA in NYC is the latest example of this abuse of power. I stand with President Trump! #Trump.”

In a slew of tweets, U.S. Rep. Ronny Jackson (R-Amarillo) , a former White House physician for Trump, kept the caps lock on for a strongly worded tweet suggesting that the indictment was all a ploy to sabotage Trump’s 2024 reelection campaign. “This is a dark day in American history,” Jackson tweeted. “President Trump’s only ‘crime’ was MAKING AMERICA GREAT AGAIN! These cowardly Democrats HATE Trump and HATE his voters even more. When Trump wins, THESE PEOPLE WILL PAY!”

I can't believe this is happening in America. President Trump is the GREATEST President I've ever seen, but because he fights for YOU, they want him BEHIND BARS! We'll have the last laugh. President Trump will be BACK in the White House!!

— Ronny Jackson (@RonnyJacksonTX) March 30, 2023

State Rep. Dustin Burrows (R-Lubbock) even went so far as to invoke Soviet leader Joseph Stalin to criticize the indictment. “Trump’s indictment reflect methods Stalin and his Communist Party used to destroy their political opponents. ‘Show me the man and I’ll find you the crime.'”

Trump's indictment reflect methods Stalin and his Communist Party used to destroy their political opponents.

— Dustin Burrows (@Burrows4TX) March 30, 2023

U.S. Rep. Wesley Hunt (R-Houston) , who spoke ahead of Trump at his Waco rally, tweeted that the indictment was an attack on “everything we hold sacred about our Republic,” adding “If they can come for him, they can come for you. Our judicial system is not blind or just, it has been weaponized by dangerous people hellbent on remaking our nation into something unrecognizable.” While Houston’s Republican U.S. Rep. Dan Crenshaw didn’t name Trump in his tweet, he wrote: “Unprecedented. America’s justice system should never be weaponized for political grandstanding.”

On the other side, several Texas Democrats, including U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-Dallas) , celebrated the indictment and emphasized that no one, not even a former president, is above the law. “As a former public defender, I know the importance of a fair and unbiased judicial process,” Crockett tweeted. “I urge my fellow Americans to put politics aside & refrain from violent rhetoric. This is a critical moment—we must not fail it.”

U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro, (D-San Antonio) , simply wrote on Twitter: “May just be served, finally.”