Trump rehearses defence over possible election lies charges at Pennsylvania rally
Former president Donald Trump floated his potential defence for the potential charges he faces for promoting lies about the election during a rally in Erie, Pennsylvania. The already-twice-impeached-twice-indicted former president now faces potential a potential third indictment for spreading lies about the 2020 presidential election. But speaking to the crowd in Pennsylvania, a state where he lost 43 lawsuits as he tried to dispute the 2020 presidential election results, Mr Trump pushed back on the potential accusations. “Why didn’t the corrupt Marxist prosecutors bring these radical and unjustified charges against me two and a half years ago,” Mr Trump asked the crowd. “They had two and a half years. Two and a half years. Nobody even knew they were looking at it. I don’t think they were.” Mr Trump said with no evidence that Special Counsel Jack Smith’s office waited as long as it did to indict him in the middle of his 2024 presidential campaign. “Because it’s election interference,” he said. “These are crooked people.” Mr Trump repeated his continued lies that the 2020 presidential election was stolen and questioned why the press did not call Pennsylvania for him in the 2016 or 2020 presidential election. “They just refused to call it because in my opinion, they were trying to cheat and they couldn't quite pull it off,” he told the crowd. So far, Mr Trump has been indicted by the district attorney for New York County’s office for charges related to hush money payments to adult film actress Stormy Daniels and by Mr Smith’s office for his handling of documents related to national security. Mr Trump pled not guilty to all charges. Mr Trump also railed against Fani Willis, the district attorney for Fulton County, Georgia, who is investigating Mr Trump’s attempts overturn the election results in the state. “So they have a DA there that doesn't do anything about crime,” he said. “All she does is focus on ‘let’s get Trump.’ We got to get him.” The former president said he was being treated unfairly and said that Democrats made far more inflammatory statements than he did in the past. Read More Trump’s election fraud claims were always bogus. Will his history of lies finally catch up to him? Trump indictment – live: Trump’s ‘Hitler’ lawsuit against CNN thrown out ahead of rally in Pennsylvania Trump’s $475m ‘Hitler’ defamation lawsuit against CNN thrown out by federal judge ‘Poetic’: Trump takes stage in Iowa to song about going to prison Ex-Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon joins push for third-party presidential bid as Democrats try to stop it
2023-07-30 07:49
‘Poetic’: Trump takes stage in Iowa to song about going to prison
Donald Trump took the stage at the Iowa Republican Dinner to a song that started out with the lyrics, “One could end up going to prison, one just might be president”. The ironic moment came as the former president’s legal woes are mounting. Mr Trump has already been indicted twice. By the end of the summer, he may be the subject of as many as four criminal cases. The latest episode in his legal peril appeared to be taking shape on Thursday 27 July, when the ex-president’s legal team met with the prosecution team led by Special Counsel Jack Smith in a last-ditch attempt to convince Mr Smith and his team from seeking another indictment against Mr Trump for his efforts to overturn his 2020 election loss to Joe Biden. That same day, the special counsel’s team hit Mr Trump with superseding charges in federal court in Florida. Officials accused the former president and an employee at his Mar-a-Lago club of attempting to destroy security camera footage once Mr Trump learned he was under subpoena in the investigation over his handling of classified documents. Earlier this month, Mr Trump said prosecutors notified him that he was also a target of Mr Smith’s investigation into efforts to overturn the 2020 election and the January 6 attack on the Capitol. The former president is understood to be facing the possibility of charges under three federal criminal statutes: Conspiracy to defraud the United States, deprivation of rights under colour of law, and witness tampering. Natalie Allison of Politico tweeted a video of the moment on Friday night. “As Trump took the stage in Iowa, this ironic line played: ‘One could end up going to prison, one just might be president.’ He had to walk out to Brooks & Dunn (like all candidates tonight) instead of his usual Lee Greenwood,” she wrote. Twitter users were quick to join in the mockery of the former president. MSNBC host Katie Phang simply wrote that it was “poetic”. “Omg. That line hits right when he gets on stage,” State Attorney for Palm Beach County Dave Aronberg wrote. GOP strategist Mike Murphy wrote: “Ha! Trump is finally understanding [that Iowa Governor Kim] Reynolds didn’t get her job because she just fell off a turnip truck…. #SharpOperator BTW, earlier she was at a big Tim Scott event. And treated with due respect.” “This is gold! Proving once again that #Republicans are so clueless they don’t even listen to lyrics before greeting their standard bearer with a song. Excuse me while I ROTFLMAO,” Ann Werner said. Read More Trump indictment – live: GOP candidate booed off stage for criticising Trump as ex-president slams DeSantis Ex-Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon joins push for third-party presidential bid as Democrats try to stop it A new challenger has emerged to Trump – and his extreme anti-woke message is working Ex-Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon joins push for third-party presidential bid as Democrats try to stop it GOP candidate booed off stage for criticising Trump as he slams DeSantis - live Election disinformation campaigns targeted voters of color in 2020. Experts expect 2024 to be worse
2023-07-30 03:57
Plaintiffs in high-profile redistricting case urge judges to toss out Alabama's controversial congressional map
Civil rights groups representing plaintiffs in a high-profile congressional redistricting case are urging a federal court in Alabama to reject a controversial new map crafted by the Republican-dominated legislature, saying it perpetuates a violation of the nation's landmark voting rights law.
2023-07-30 00:23
Ex-Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon joins push for third-party presidential bid as Democrats try to stop it
Former Democratic Gov. Jay Nixon of Missouri is joining No Labels’ effort to lay the groundwork for a centrist third-party presidential ticket in 2024
2023-07-29 23:55
Socialists lose seat, after expat vote count, making it harder to form government
By Graham Keeley BARCELONA Spain's Socialists have emerged with one seat fewer after counts of votes from abroad
2023-07-29 22:20
US VP Harris embraces new attack role, draws fresh Republican fire
By Jarrett Renshaw BOSTON Vice President Kamala Harris has shown a punchy side during a tour of nearly
2023-07-29 18:27
Trump shows in Iowa he still rules the GOP -- despite his deepening criminal peril
Donald Trump only needed 10 minutes to show why his growing pile of criminal charges is not yet loosening his grip on the Republican presidential race and why his opponents will find him so hard to beat.
2023-07-29 13:22
Trump criticizes DeSantis without pushback at Iowa event, even after new criminal charges
By Tim Reid and Alexandra Ulmer Republican presidential rivals Donald Trump and Ron DeSantis appeared at the same
2023-07-29 11:51
Trump largely ignores new federal charges at major Iowa Republican gathering
Former President Donald Trump charged ahead with his bid for the 2024 GOP nomination Friday at a major Republican event in Iowa, largely ignoring the new charges he faces in the federal classified documents probe.
2023-07-29 10:48
Fact check: RFK Jr.'s misleading viral claim about Secret Service protection
Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who is running for the Democratic presidential nomination against President Joe Biden, baselessly suggested Friday that the Biden administration is singling him out for rare treatment by denying him Secret Service protection.
2023-07-29 08:25
Count of ballots from Spaniards abroad gives edge to right-wing block and deepens the stalemate
Ballots from Spaniards living abroad gave a new twist to the inconclusive results from the general election
2023-07-29 07:59
Trump, DeSantis and other Republican rivals to share Iowa stage
Until now, Mr Trump has largely shunned appearing at events with rivals over whom he maintains a big lead.
2023-07-29 04:25