Donald Trump’s vice presidential running mate must be prepared to tackle Hillary Clinton’s email scandal, House Speaker Paul Ryan explained in a new interview.
“I think you just have to spell it out so that people understand the kind of thinking that goes behind this ‘I can live above the law, live above everybody else,'” the Wisconsin Republican told radio host Hugh Hewitt Friday, when asked what skill sets Trump’s running mate should have.
Ryan was Mitt Romney’s running mate in 2012.
“Certain standards” are expected of elected officials, Ryan explained in alluding to Clinton, “not least of which is the president of the United States.”
“And those standards are that we believe in the rule of law, and we believe in holding ourselves accountable to the rule of law, and that we should not live above the law. That, to me, is one of the cardinal sins that Secretary Clinton violated,” Ryan continued. “And that is one of those things that the VP not only needs to point out. You have to have a VP who’s ready to step up and be president at any moment, but also a vice president candidate who can articulate the policy of the forthcoming administration, and can delineate the differences. And that’s something, there are a lot of capable people. I’m sure there’s a good list that’s being developed. That’s something that the VP is going to have to do.
Ryan also took aim at Clinton, the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, for saying she supports strong cybersecurity for the United States. This, in the wake of her email scandal, is “the height of irony,” Ryan said.
“Now you’re a constitutional officer in addition to being the leader of the party. And so I assume you take all the precautions one needs to take to protect your data. What’s that involve, Speaker Ryan?” Hewitt asked.
“Well, I’m not going to give … No. 1 is don’t answer that question,” Ryan said, as both men laughed.
After officially declining to do so, Ryan announced last week that he would be voting for Trump in November.
