Former Gov. Chris Christie (R-NJ) made his first public comments on the indictment of former President Donald Trump on Sunday, saying he was not rushing to discuss the indictment because it is still sealed.
Christie said the bold talk from the Trump team about the indictment is “bologna,” adding he will be processed as every other indicted individual is while speaking on ABC’s This Week.
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“All this bravado from the Trump camp is bologna. He’s going to be charged officially on Tuesday. He’s going to have to be mugshotted, fingerprinted, and he’s going to face a criminal trial in Manhattan, and he’s not going to be able to avoid it. You can’t make that a good day under any circumstances,” Christie said.
He also criticized the indictment being brought against Trump, considering the facts that are publicly available.
“With Alvin Bragg, a elected prosecutor, Democrat, I wonder whether this is really increasing the public safety of the people of Manhattan by going after a seven-year-old charge for a hush money payment.”
When pressed on if he believes public safety should be the key concern for prosecuting crime, Christie said because resources are limited for prosecutors, and they do not have to charge every crime.
“Unlike the European system where they say there’s a crime you must charge it. Here prosecutors are allowed to use their discretion that, ‘I don’t think this is an appropriate use of my sources,’” Christie said.
Christie has not ruled out a 2024 run, saying he plans to make his decision in the “next 60 days.” He recently made an appearance in New Hampshire, only further fueling speculation of a presidential bid.
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Trump is set to be arraigned on Tuesday, with the charges set to be unsealed after he is arraigned, per New York state law. The former president has maintained his innocence and has called the indictment an unprecedented attack on the country. Trump is the first former president to be criminally indicted.
The indictment appears to have stemmed from an investigation by prosecutors in Manhattan into allegedly falsified business records regarding a $130,000 reimbursement of Trump’s then-lawyer Michael Cohen for paying off porn star Stormy Daniels to stay quiet about an alleged affair she had with Trump. The payment was made in 2016, as Trump was running for president.
