Vivek Ramaswamy wants other 2024 candidates to pledge Trump a pardon

USA

Vivek Ramaswamy, an entrepreneur and activist running against Donald J. Trump for the Republican nomination, told reporters outside the Miami courthouse on Tuesday that he had reached out to other presidential candidates urging them to pardon the former president if they win in 2024.

Mr. Ramaswamy, who has been one of Mr. Trump’s most outspoken supporters since the indictment, said he had floated the idea of such a pledge to Mr. Trump’s main Republican rivals, including Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, as well as the Democrats challenging president. Biden, like Robert Kennedy Jr.

While speaking outside the federal court building where Trump was scheduled to appear hours later, Mr. Ramaswamy was often drowned out by competing chants between Trump supporters and protesters who had come to celebrate the indictment.

Mr Ramaswamy said that while he could benefit politically from the case, he believed the prospect of the Republican frontrunner facing lengthy prosecution and possible jail time is dangerous for democracy.

“It would be a lot easier for me in this race if he was out,” he said.

He also announced that he had filed a Freedom of Information Act request seeking communications between Mr. Biden, Attorney General Merrick B. Garland and Jack Smith, the special counsel on the documents case, to look for evidence of wrongdoing.

Mr. Ramaswamy alleged, without evidence, that the news media had been negligent in not investigating improper ties between the White House and the Justice Department. He said it was “a shame” that a competitor in the race had to do this.

While Mr. Ramaswamy repeatedly struggled to speak over the crowd, several supporters of Mr. Trump gathered to watch Mr. Ramaswamy to quit while others taunted him about his corporate career and his ties to corporate donors.

At one point, an assistant handed Mr. Ramaswamy a microphone, which was not working. Moments later, a large group of spectators peeled off to watch a confrontation between protesters.