Former President and current presidential candidate Donald Trump arrived at a federal courthouse in Miami on Tuesday afternoon to face special counsel charges.
Video footage taken by Trump advisor Steven Cheung in the vehicle shows police cars and protesters lining the side of the road.
Miami law enforcement prepared for a crowd of 50,000 protesters outside the courthouse, 10news reported.
The former president will appear before a federal judge in Miami at 3:00 p.m for arraignment regarding more than 30 indictment charges.
He was indicted on 37 counts over allegations of mishandling classified documents found at his Mar-a-Lago resort, the Daily Mail reported. Special counsel Jack Smith charged Trump and the former president’s aid Walt Nauta last week, CNN reported.
Trump is expected to plead not guilty to all charges, which many have described as a “witch hunt.”
Rep. Mike Waltz (R-FL) told the Daily Mail that the Department of Justice holds Trump to a greater level of scrutiny than other politicians, such as Hillary Clinton, who was never charged for destroying over 30,000 emails.
Waltz also pointed to the current investigation into classified documents found at President Biden’s Delaware home and at the Penn Biden Center.
“So many of his followers, so many of my constituents, and not just Republicans – across the board from the political sphere – say this is hypocrisy, this is two-tiered justice,” Waltz said. “The erosion of trust is just devastating.”
The former president could face a $9 million fine and a maximum 400-year prison sentence.
Waltz said if the DOJ could do this to Trump, “they can do this to any American.”
Even if Trump is convicted of a crime, it would not prevent him from running for president. He could even pardon himself if he is elected in 2024.
Tuesday evening, following his court appearance, Trump will speak at a rally in Bedminster, New Jersey.
WATCH — “We Love Trump!”: Supporters Rally as Trump Faces Arraignment in Federal Court over Classified Documents
Credit: Ben Von Klemperer via Storyful
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