Hutchinson, at State Fair, comments on Trump indictment

DES MOINES — Republican presidential candidate Asa Hutchinson says the indictments against former President Trump address fundamental issues of our democracy.

“He’s morally accountable,” Hutchinson says. “The question now is whether he’s criminally accountable.”

Hutchinson, a former Arkansas governor who’s also a former federal prosecutor, is campaigning today at the Iowa State Fair. Hutchinson suggests there will be another lawsuit filed at some point. That one would challenge whether Trump violated the 14th Amendment by participating in an insurrection and is disqualified from being president.  “That’s going to happen, which will be another point of litigation,” Hutchinson says, “and so the voters in Iowa are going to have to decide who our nominee is going to be with a question as to whether they are qualified.”

Hutchinson told reporters the federal indictments against Trump related to classified materials and his actions on January 6th are the most serious pending cases. Hutchinson says there’s overlap with Monday night’s indictment in Georgia and states generally defer to a federal prosecution.  “I said over a year ago that Donald Trump should withdraw from the race because of what he is facing and if you put our country first, then that’s exactly what you would do,” Hutchinson said, “and that case is made stronger with every indictment and case that is brought against him.”

Hutchinson says the response to the indictments highlights a troubling divide in the country, as half of Americans consider Trump a victim and the other half say he should have been prosecuted long ago.