Federal indictment leaves Trump supporters unfazed
(CNN, KYMA/KECY) - Former President Donald Trump is rallying his supporters. He addressed them during Georgia's Republican convention on Saturday.
Trump addressed the elephant in the room as he slammed the 37-count federal indictment against him.
He told the audience the Justice Department's case was a joke and called Special Counsel Jack Smith deranged.
Trump is the current front-runner for the republican nomination next year, and vows to stay in the race, even if he is convicted over his handling of classified documents since leaving office.
Unapologetic and on the attack
Former President Donald Trump unapologetic and on the attack.
"Jack Smith sounds so innocent. He's deranged. This is a political hit job," Trump said to his supporters.
Georgia's GOP convention marks Trump's first public appearance after becoming the first former president to face federal charges.
"We have one set of laws in this country and they apply to everyone," said Jack Smith, Special Counsel for the Justice Department
Smith announced 37 criminal counts against Trump. The majority for violations of the Espionage Act.
Unfazed
"Doesn’t matter to me. Not at all," said Sharon Wilder, a Trump supporter.
Outside the state convention his supporters are unfazed.
“I think it's a bunch of bulls***. Trump ain't done nothing wrong. The only thing Trump done is save this country," said Daryl Neal, another Trump supporter.
"They're not gonna let it stop. They can't stand the fact that he's running for president and I am a Donald Trump fan," said Jill Wilcox, another Trump Supporter.
"It's probably altered but just typical, typical liberal propaganda," said Gary Griesheim, another Trump supporter.
Loyalist
None of the Republican voters CNN spoke with had read the indictment.
“No, I wouldn't waste my time on a phony indictment. I don't care about an indictment, you could indict a bologna sandwich," Neal expressed.
These loyalists share a deep sense of distrust against perceived opponents of Trump, including the Department of Justice, the FBI and the press.
Supporters routinely brought up President Joe Biden, former Vice President Mike Pence and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton as they all had sensitive materials in their possession while out of public office.
One big difference: Trump and his aide, Walt Nauta, face nearly a half-dozen charges related to obstruction and concealment of documents, including for allegedly suggesting to his lawyers to not cooperate with a grand jury subpoena.
"In this whole fake indictment, they don't even once mention the Presidential Records Act," Trump spoke.
Two different occasions
The indictment outlines two different occasions Trump allegedly showed classified documents to unauthorized people.
And in 2021 Trump admitted, on tape, to having secret documents that he hadn't declassified, according to the indictment.
“As president, I could have declassified, but now I can’t,” Trump said, according to the transcript of the audio obtained by CNN.
"But we know that that can be changed. We know that that can be altered," Wilcox said.
Anti-Trump protesters
Within the 49-page indictment, pictures showing boxes of classified documents stacked high in a Mar-a-Lago bathroom, ballroom, office space and elsewhere.
"What he did is incorrect. Absolutely incorrect. But the system allowed it to happen, the system is broken, needs to be fixed," Griesheim remarked.
The convention also drew a handful of anti-Trump protesters, co-opting one of his most popular catchphrases in this quick moment of tension: "Lock him up."
Ultimately, these Trump supporters could not point to any piece of evidence that would cause their support to waver.
“I think Trump is the best president we've ever had and I'm all about getting him reelected," Wilder declared.
A campaign spokesperson for Trump says the former president is expected to speak after his court appearance in Florida on Tuesday.
