Montana’s congressional delegates have mixed reactions to the latest indictment of former President Donald Trump. He faces four felonies and is charged with conspiring to overturn the 2020 election.
Both U.S. Sen. Steve Daines and Congressman Matt Rosendale criticized the investigation into Trump as politically motivated. Rosendale called it a sham and Daines called it prosecutorial misconduct. Trump is again running for president, as is President Joe Biden.
Rosendale is co-sponsoring a bill with other hardline conservatives to cut federal funding for Special Counsel Jack Smith, an independent prosecutor who brought the charges against Trump. Smith was appointed by Attorney General Merrick Garland to handle the investigation outside of Biden’s Department of Justice.
A spokesperson for U.S. Sen. Jon Tester said he believes “everyone should be treated fairly and without bias” during criminal proceedings and he expects the same treatment for Trump. He did not comment on the charges themselves against Trump.
Congressman Ryan Zinke, a former Trump cabinet member, did not respond to a request for comment by deadline.
Trump appeared in court Thursday for his arraignment and pleaded not guilty to the charges.