BOYNTON BEACH, Fla. — Democrats and Republicans are once again split over charges filed against former President Donald Trump.
The former president pleaded not guilty to fraud charges in federal court Thursday related to wrongful claims about errors made in the 2020 election.
Trump is facing two different felony charges in federal court, the other in Florida over his mishandling and refusal to hand over classified documents.
Jackie Dobbins said she and other members of her group, Thursday Freedom Fighters, rally to support the former president every Thursday in Boynton Beach. She said many people within her group elected to gather near Trump's private club due to his appearance in federal court.
Dobbins said she’s frustrated the special counselor's office is continuing to charge the former president.
"They're always going after Trump," she said. "They're not giving him a fair shake. They are not looking at the real criminals. That's what's so frustrating."
Dobbins and Cindy Falco-DiCorrado, who was also at the rally on Woolbright Road with about seven other people, expressed confusion over the government's handling of President Joe Biden's son, Hunter, compared to the multiple charges filed against Trump.
"The [former] president and his poor family, all of them have been attacked and put down," Falco-DiCorrado said. "And just the hate is uncanny. It's unreal. It's wrong on so many levels."
Both believe the discrepancy is based on a government bureaucracy, which is trying to stop a second Donald Trump presidency. They described it as a "political prosecution" and a "weaponization" of government.
Although some Republicans have spoken out against the former president and current GOP frontrunner, most defended Trump or criticized the actions of the federal government.
Peter Feaman, a member of the National Republican Committee in Florida, said the special counsel's office is using its position to attack political rivals and threaten free speech in a written statement.
"The politically appointed Special Prosecutors is using the justice system to attack a political opponent of Joe Biden," he wrote. "More importantly, it is an attack on free speech…every candidate has the right to render their opinion as to the outcome of their election."
U.S. Rep. Brian Mast, R-Fla., posted on social media Wednesday and made the comparison to Hunter Biden, who received a plea deal that a federal judge didn't accept for not paying his taxes and illegally owning a gun.
Biden’s DOJ gave Hunter Biden a sweetheart deal that was so sweet a judge threw it out the window. The same DOJ unveils another attempt to take down Trump one day after we get more evidence of Biden’s involvement in his son’s business. It’s a blatant weaponization of government.
— Rep. Brian Mast (@RepBrianMast) August 2, 2023
"Biden's DOJ gave Hunter Biden a sweetheart deal that was so sweet a judge threw it out the window," Mast posted on X, formerly known as Twitter. "The same DOJ unveils another attempt to take down Trump one day after we get more evidence of Biden's involvement in his son's business. It's a blatant weaponization of government."
