Moments after Donald Trump pleaded not guilty to federal charges that he hoarded classified documents and then conspired to obstruct an investigation about it, the Republicans in Congress had his back. Trump’s mounting legal jeopardy has quickly become a political rallying cry as they rush to stand by the indicted former president. Many Republicans say they haven’t fully read the 49-page indictment against Trump. But they are adopting his grievances against the federal justice system as their own. It’s an example of how Trump has transformed the Republican Party that was once the party of “law and order,” but is now attacking the very justice system at the foundation of U.S. democracy.
McCarthy also claimed that it was fine that documents were stored in a bathroom because “bathrooms have locks.” Last time I checked, though, most bathrooms lock from the inside. “I’m going to lock myself in with these classified documents for a while” isn’t a very good defense.