Illinois Valley Times

State Sen. Andrew Chesney (R-Freeport) published a statement regarding the most recent indictment of former President Donald Trump.

“This is a sad day for America," Chesney posted on his official website. "These are serious charges that President Trump will need to defend. Since it is widely known that a similar investigation is also taking place involving President Biden, I hope Americans can count on an equal level of scrutiny in both investigations.”

According to Politico, Trump was indicted on federal charges tied to the discovery of classified information at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida. Said information focused on the defense and weapons capabilities of the U.S. and foreign countries, and Trump is believed to have shown several documents to multiple Mar-a-Lago visitors. The full indictment can be read here.

Trump is facing 31 counts of violating the Espionage Act through "willful retention" of classified records, in addition to six counts, including obstruction of justice and false statements, stemming from his alleged attempts to impede the investigation. Trump aide Walt Nauta was also charged with five felonies, including obstruction of justice and making false statements to the FBI.

Trump was first indicted in March as part of an investigation by the Manhattan District Attorney's Office into his alleged role in a hush money payment scheme and cover-up involving adult film star Stormy Daniels that dates back to the 2016 presidential election. The full indictment can be read here.

Chesney is a small business owner and lifelong Illinois resident who was first elected to serve as State Senator for Illinois' 45th District in November. Prior to his current position, he represented the state's 89th District in the Illinois House of Representatives beginning in 2018. He had also served as the Alderman at Large for the City of Freeport and has been a board member of the Regional Access Mobilization Project (RAMP), which provides support services and advocacy for those with disabilities. He is also a former mentor for Big Brothers Big Sisters.