On Friday, February 12th, 2021, former President Donald Trump was indicted by a grand jury in Georgia on charges of election interference. The indictment alleges that Trump pressured Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger to “find” enough votes to overturn the state’s election results in his favor.
The news of Trump’s indictment was met with mixed reactions, with some celebrating the possibility of justice being served and others decrying it as a political witch hunt. One of those who spoke out about the indictment was New Jersey Congressman Bill Pascrell, who called it a “dark and dreadful day for our democracy.”
Pascrell, who has been a vocal critic of Trump throughout his presidency, released a statement shortly after the news broke. In it, he expressed his belief that Trump’s actions were a clear violation of the law and that he should be held accountable for them.
“This is a dark and dreadful day for our democracy,” Pascrell said. “Donald Trump’s attempt to overturn the results of a free and fair election was not only an attack on our democratic institutions but also on the very foundation of our country. His actions were illegal, immoral, and unpatriotic, and he must be held accountable for them.”
Pascrell went on to say that he believes the indictment is just the beginning of what will be a long and difficult process of holding Trump accountable for his actions. He called on his fellow lawmakers to put aside their political differences and work together to ensure that justice is served.
“We cannot allow this kind of behavior to go unchecked,” Pascrell said. “We must hold those in power accountable for their actions, no matter how powerful they may be. I urge my colleagues in Congress to put aside their political differences and work together to ensure that justice is served.”
The indictment of a former president is an unprecedented event in American history, and it remains to be seen what the outcome of the case will be. However, one thing is clear: the events of the past few months have shaken the foundations of our democracy, and it will take a concerted effort from all Americans to rebuild them.
As Pascrell said in his statement, “We must never forget that our democracy is fragile and must be protected at all costs. We owe it to ourselves and to future generations to do everything in our power to ensure that our democratic institutions remain strong and resilient.”
