Bowling Green Today

U.S. Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) led 28 Senate Republicans in sending a letter to Attorney General Merrick Garland, condemning what they described as the "evisceration of the American judicial process" following the conviction of former President Donald Trump in Manhattan.

The letter stated, “The conviction of President Trump in Manhattan is nothing short of the evisceration of the American judicial process. In their zeal to imprison Donald Trump, Democrat prosecutors successfully dissolved the constitutional protections afforded to defendants and the barriers that protect every American from the abuses of arbitrary rule."

The senators argued that fundamental legal principles such as due process and Sixth Amendment rights were compromised during Trump's trial. The letter highlighted concerns about Judge Juan Merchan's financial contributions to Democratic candidates and causes, as well as issues with how alleged misdemeanors were elevated to felonies without clear evidence of a secondary crime.

“Due process cannot exist when the defendant is accused of a secret crime," continued the letter. "No American – not even a President – can defend himself fairly in a court of law if he is deprived of his Sixth Amendment right to know what crime he is alleged to have committed.”

The group also criticized President Joe Biden's administration for its role in what they termed "the destruction of due process." They claimed that state prosecutor Alvin Bragg overstepped his jurisdiction by pursuing potential Federal Election Campaign Act violations against Trump.

“We condemn this show trial, not just because it marks the attempt to imprison a leader of the loyal opposition, but because it threatens the existence of due process of law,” concluded the letter.

Senators joining Paul in signing this letter included Mike Lee (R-UT), Tommy Tuberville (R-AL), Ron Johnson (R-WI), Rick Scott (R-FL), Roger Marshall (R-KS), John Cornyn (R-TX), Tim Scott (R-SC), Dan Sullivan (R-AK), Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS), Bill Hagerty (R-TN), Kevin Cramer (R-ND), Marco Rubio (R-FL), James Lankford (R-OK), Eric Schmitt (R-MO), JD Vance (R-OH), Cynthia Lummis (R-WY), Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Ted Budd (R-NC), John Thune (R-SD), Thom Tillis (R-NC), Markwayne Mullin (R-OK), Katie Britt (R-AL), Mike Braun (R-IN), Ted Cruz (R-TX), John Hoeven (R-ND), Deb Fischer (R-NE) and Josh Hawley (R-MO).