On Saturday, Donald Trump took swipes at the New York judge who ruled that he must pay $2.6 billion to finance companies as compensation for having falsely inflated his net worth to mislead lenders. He called it an “election interference ploy.”
Trump’s Claims of Left-Wing Plot
First, Trump took to the podium and claimed without evidence that Judge Arthur Engoron, who hit him with the massive penalties the previous day, was part of a “left-wing” plot devised by liberal judges whose aim was to deny him a second term, as reported by Reuters.
The former GOP president, the current nominee for the White House, told a rally in Michigan that “these repulsive abuses of power are not just an attack on me, they are an attack on all Americans.”
Additionally, Trump reiterated his deception that election fraud was the reason he lost to Democratic U.S. President Joe Biden in the 2020 contest.
Judge’s Decision and Three-Year Prohibition
Additionally, Engoron placed a three-year prohibition on Trump’s ability to hold an officer or director position with any New York corporation. Regarding Trump and his fellow defendants, the judge stated, “Their complete lack of contrition and remorse borders on pathological.”
The New York Attorney General, Leticia James, charged that the Trump family business companies were exaggerating the president’s wealth by about $3.6 billion annually in a decade to deceive bankers into lending the business more favorable loan terms, as reported by Reuters.
Trump was just behind Nikki Haley, the only one of his Republican opponents who spoke after.
Haley was on task on Saturday. She immediately attacked Trump over the Friday ruling, which again embarrassed him in the civil case that also eroded his real estate empire.
Trump’s Legal Challenges and Criminal Trials
Trump is involved in four state and federal criminal trials, one scheduled on Mar. 25, for allegedly making hush payments to an adult actress. So, Trump will be the very first former American president to be tried for criminal cases.
Haley regularly claims that Trump is followed by “chaos” and that his numerous legal issues prevent him from being a successful president or candidate.
“He’s going to be in court in March and April. He’s going to be in court in May and June. He said himself that he’s going to be spending more time in a courtroom than he is on the campaign trail,” Haley told Fox News
Trump is now in close contention for the Republican presidential nomination, which will result in him facing off with Biden in the likely general election after Monday’s victories in the Iowa, New Hampshire, and Nevada primaries.
Although Michigan is considered a swing state, it can play a decisive role in November. This year, up in Michigan, the Republicans are allocating their presidential delegates by way of both a primary on Feb. 27 and a Mar. 2 caucus.
Trump, with the ambition of building winds in the state, asked the supporters to be part of the nominating contests. But Trump, who has wanted to attack Biden’s mental sharpness and slip-of-the-tongue moments, mixed both dates that were accurate and dates that were not.
“Remember, the primary is Tuesday, Feb. 27. We need to get out and vote to set the stage for November. Go vote. Nov. 27,” Trump said, as reported by Reuters.
In addition, Trump restated his intention to do away with early voting and disparaged Democratic-favored mail-in voting.
Republicans have expressed concern that Trump’s resistance to mail-in voting may deter party members from using their right to vote.
“Mail-in voting is totally corrupt. Get that through your head,” Trump said.
Before his rally in Michigan, Trump was at a sneaker-fans convention in Philadelphia, where he introduced his sneakers featuring gold tops with American flags.
“I’ve wanted to do this a long time,” Trump said before urging young people to vote.
Haley’s Last Appeal in South Carolina
It is undeniable that Haley, who has no clear path to the Republican nomination, hasn’t quite yet either. She is trying to make a final appeal in her home state, South Carolina, which has its primary on Feb.24, where she trails to the frontrunner, Donald Trump, badly in most opinion polls.
On Saturday evening, at her rally, Haley also assailed Trump for his silence on the demise of Alexei Navalny, Russia’s primary opposition leader. Trump never mentioned Navalny once again, this time at his Michigan rally.
The prison service of Russia said that Navalny, 47, passed away on Friday at the “Polar Wolf” Arctic penitentiary. The West and Biden accuse President Putin of Russia for the death. Leaders of the West gave no evidence.
Speaking to a crowd in Irmo, South Carolina, Haley drew reference to a speech Trump had given on Feb. 10 in which he declared he would “encourage” Russia to do “whatever the hell they want” to any NATO member that did not spend enough on defense. She also accused Trump of having previously gotten close to Putin.
“Trump is siding with a thug who kills his own political opponents,” Haley said.