Some Texas Republicans quickly criticized Donald Trump’s criminal indictment Thursday as a politically motivated “catastrophe” after it was announced that the former president would face criminal charges.

“The Democrat Party’s hatred for Donald Trump knows no bounds. The ‘substance’ of this political persecution is utter garbage,” tweeted U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz. “This is completely unprecedented and is a catastrophic escalation in the weaponization of the justice system.”

Republicans, including Trump, have cast the indictment as a political “witch hunt” to discredit the former president ahead of the 2024 presidential election. Recent polls currently favor Trump over Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who has not yet announced his candidacy. President Joe Biden, a Democrat, is also expected to run again.

“This is Political Persecution and Election Interference at the highest level in history. From the time I came down the golden escalator at Trump Tower, and even before I was sworn in as your President of the United States, the Radical Left Democrats … have been engaged in a Witch-Hunt to destroy the Make America Great Again movement,” Trump said in a statement.

On Thursday afternoon, the New York Times reported that a Manhattan grand jury voted to indict Trump over his role in paying alleged hush money to Stormy Daniels, an adult film star. Trump is the first former U.S. president to face criminal charges in the country’s history.

The felony indictment has not yet been made public, but Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg has asked Trump to surrender to the not-yet-known charges.

Texas Republicans echoed Trump’s claims that the indictment is politically motivated.

State Rep. Dustin Burrows, R-Lubbock, quoted Joseph Stalin’s Soviet-era secret police chief, Lavrentiy Beria, and wrote on Twitter, “Trump’s indictment reflect methods Stalin and his Communist Party used to destroy their political opponents.”

The indictment comes less than a week after Trump held his first official 2024 campaign rally in Waco last Saturday. During the event, Trump announced his Texas Elected Leadership Team, which included Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, Attorney General Ken Paxton and U.S. Rep. Ronny Jackson of Amarillo among others.

“This is a dark day in American history. President Trump’s only ‘crime’ was MAKING AMERICA GREAT AGAIN! These cowardly Democrats HATE Trump and HATE his voters even more. When Trump wins, THESE PEOPLE WILL PAY!!” Jackson said in a tweet shortly after the indictment was announced.

Jackson was a top White House physician during Trump’s presidency.

This article was written by WILLIAM MELHADO  of The Texas Tribune.  The Texas Tribune is a nonpartisan, nonprofit media organization that informs Texans — and engages with them – about public policy, politics, government and statewide issues.  This article originally appeared at: https://www.texastribune.org/2023/03/30/donald-trump-indictment-texas-republicans-ted-cruz/