GOP Senator Mike Rounds Says a Former President is Not Shielded From Prosecution

Senator Mike Rounds, a Republican from South Dakota, said on Sunday that Trump is not shielded from prosecution if the Department of Justice brings evidence of a crime.

Rounds was making the point that the GOP should move past unfounded allegations that the 2020 election was stolen from Trump if they want to win.

“We simply did not win the election, as Republicans, for the presidency,” Rounds said. 

Rounds voted to certify Joe Biden’s win, but did not vote for impeachment of Trump, and when asked about Trump as the 2024 candidate, offered skepticism that Trump would be the candidate.

Republican @SenatorRounds tells @GStephanopoulos that former Pres. Trump's fate should be left in the hands of the Department of Justice and federal courts.

"The courts are the appropriate place where those questions should be answered." https://t.co/jHS4IXc5OE pic.twitter.com/wTD47YRGsA

— This Week (@ThisWeekABC) January 9, 2022

Democratic Rep Jamie Raskin followed the Rounds interview.

Rep. Jamie Raskin "delighted" to hear Republican lawmakers give consideration to prosecuting former Pre. Trump if evidence shows he aided and abetted the Jan. 6 insurrection. https://t.co/Tlnf4SQQqz pic.twitter.com/RyTJ98IWIC

— This Week (@ThisWeekABC) January 9, 2022

“Overwhelmingly, people participated,” Raskin said. “It’s only a problem the closer you get to Donald Trump and you have a handful of people who think they’re above the law like Roger Stone and Steve Bannon and Mark Meadows, once he was intimidated by Donald Trump.”

Republican Sen. Mike Rounds said this morning that the 2020’election wasn’t stolen, so naturally he is now a ‘RINO traitor.’ If you don’t agree with the Big Lie, you aren’t a real Republican. pic.twitter.com/oME1yhpzPu

— Ron Filipkowski (@RonFilipkowski) January 10, 2022

Politico, ABC News