By Orion Donovan-Smith | The Spokesman-Review
In the days after Donald Trump was indicted on federal charges for hoarding documents containing sensitive national security information, the response from Northwest Republicans in Congress reflected the former president's firm hold on the GOP base.
With few exceptions, Republicans in the House and Senate have avoided commenting on the allegations contained in the indictment, which accuses Trump of refusing to return classified documents and then obstructing the government's effort to get them back. He also is accused in the 37-count indictment of making false statements to investigators.
[...]
"I don't trust the DOJ. I don't trust the FBI," Rep. Russ Fulcher of Idaho said Tuesday. "I'm not saying that what he did was right — I don't know the answer to that — but I can tell you history and the pattern has shown that those making the accusations do not have credibility."
Fulcher, who represents North Idaho, was the only congressional Republican from the Northwest to release a statement immediately after the indictment was unsealed June 9. In an interview at the Capitol, he said he sees the classified documents case as just the latest in a series of attempts to sideline Trump, who entered a not-guilty plea at his arraignment Tuesday in Miami.
"How many times do these charges and accusations come up? How many times do they get refuted? I've said it over and over again: Donald Trump is not a choirboy, OK? But he doesn't deserve to get this type of vitriolic persecution," Fulcher said.
Read the full story HERE