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Louisiana representatives react to indictment of former President Trump

Trump was indicted for an investigation centered on hush money payments made during his 2016 presidential campaign.

NEW ORLEANS — Former President Donald Trump was indicted on Thursday. He became the first U.S. President ever to face criminal charges. 

Some of Louisiana's Republican legislators are speaking out in support of Trump, including Representatives Mike Johnson and Clay Higgins. 

Trump was indicted for an investigation centered on hush money payments made during his 2016 presidential campaign. Allegedly, Trump's goal was to silence claims of an affair with adult film star Stormy Daniels.

The indictment remains sealed. 

House Majority Leader, Steve Scalise, visited Eyewitness News studios Friday morning. Eric Paulsen asked how Scalise could condemn the indictment so forcefully without knowing what it contains. 

"Well, first of all, you've been seeing for weeks this DA just wanted to go after Donald Trump, and I think anybody that looks at this objectively would say, okay they're saying this is a federal charge they're going after him on. The feds didn't even go after President Trump on, and the statute of limitations expired," Scalise said. 

Paulsen said the DA is trying to find state charges. 

"Well, he's trying to find a way to make state charges. The real question you should be asking is if his name was anything but Donald Trump, do we think this DA would be going after him?" Scalise said. 

Meanwhile, city leaders are weighing in. 

Eyewitness News Reporter Paul Murphy asked Mayor LaToya Cantrell what she thought of the indictment. 

“I just hope that it doesn’t distract us from electing the next president of the united states of America. We have good leadership, and we’re moving in the right direction, and I just want our country to continue to move in the right direction and not be distracted," Cantrell said. 

Tulane Political Science Professor, Brian Brox, said the indictment could impact the 2024 election. 

Brox said the indictment doesn't bar Trump from running, and it may help him gather more support. 

“I think the support that he’s lost is potentially among Republicans who were already looking for an alternative. I think among his most fervent supporters, this is going to be seen as a partisan process, and they’re going to even more fully rally to his support," Brox said. 

Brox said Trump could see a boost in the Republican primaries. 

The former president is in the middle of other investigations, including probes into the January 6th Capitol assault and the handling of classified materials at his Mar-A-Lago Estate. 

A district attorney in Georgia is also investigating efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election results in Georgia. 

In a statement to Eyewitness News, Congressman Troy Carter said no one is above the law. 

“I have full confidence in our nation’s judicial system, and we must allow this process to move forward with no political interference or intimidation. Every American is entitled to due process. This is a cornerstone of our democracy and the Constitution.

“No one is above the law – not even the former President of the United States," Carter said.

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