Former President Donald Trump railed against the New York justice system Monday while suggesting he’ll turn the state red in November.
Mr. Trump was quoting lawyer Alan Dershowitz when he said, “The criminal justice system is on trial in New York.”
“I love this state. I love the people of the state. I’m running hard in New York,” he said before heading into the courtroom. “I think we’re going to win New York.”
Mr. Trump was back in the Manhattan courtroom for the 19th day in his criminal hush money case. He faces 34 felony counts of falsifying business records in connection with reimbursement payments to his former fixer, Michael Cohen.
The former president’s lawyers have said the payments to Mr. Cohen were legal expenses and not to cover up his alleged sexual encounter with porn actress Stormy Daniels ahead of the 2016 election.
Mr. Trump has pleaded not guilty and denies the sexual encounter.
He has argued that the trial has cut down his time on the campaign trail and has said the case is election interference.
“I’m here instead of campaigning. As you know, I was supposed to be in a very different state this morning, and the judge actually decided to call it early,” he said. “And yet it looks like we’re going have a very big gap between days, and it’s going to be determined right now in court.”
“But we’re here about an hour early today. I was supposed to be making a speech for political purposes. And I’m not allowed to have anything to do with politics because I’m sitting in a very freezing cold courtroom for the last four weeks. It’s very unfair,” he added.
He said the whole case comes from the “[Justice Department] and the White House,” and called all of the cases he faces “corrupt.”
“It’s an attack on [President Biden’s] political opponent. That’s all it is. All of the things you saw over the last four weeks, most of it should have never even been brought up. And then on top of that, there’s no crime. And we go on day after day. And I have to tell Iowa, ‘I’m sorry, I won’t be able to make it.’ I tell New Hampshire, ‘Sorry, I won’t be able to make it. I’m sitting in an icebox all day,’” he said.
Judge Juan Merchan said Monday that closing arguments will be held next week after Memorial Day weekend.
• Mallory Wilson can be reached at mwilson@washingtontimes.com.
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