Former President Trump intensified his criticism of Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg and President Biden at his most recent rally on the Jersey Shore on Saturday.
Trump repeatedly criticized the hush money case against him in New York and also targeted Bragg and Judge Juan Merchan, the judge overseeing the case. He also blamed Biden for his legal problems in the case, despite no evidence linking Biden's administration to the hush money case.
Trump stated, “As you know, I’ve come here from New York, where I’m being forced to endure a Biden show trial — all done by Biden.”
He labeled Merchan as “corrupt” and “highly conflicted” and called Bragg “fat Alvin” in his latest round of criticisms. He also described his multiple indictments as “nonsense.”
“I got indicted four times in a period of three seconds,” he said at one point.
Trump addressed a large crowd of supporters during his rally, expressing his belief that he can win New Jersey. New Jersey has voted for the Democrat presidential candidate in the last eight presidential elections, and Biden carried the state with about 57 percent of the vote in 2020.
The Associated Press reported that Lisa Fagan, spokesperson for the city of Wildwood, estimated the crowd to be between 80,000 and 100,000 attendees. The AP also noted that Rep. Van Drew (R-N.J.) and North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum (R) were present at the rally.
After a long week at the hush money trial, where he had to listen to Stormy Daniels’ testimony about her alleged sexual encounter with him, Trump denied any affair.
Merchan imposed a gag order on Trump that prohibits him from insulting witnesses, jurors, prosecutors, court staff, and the judge’s family. However, it does not prevent him from insulting Merchan or Bragg, whom he criticizes almost daily.
Trump has already been fined for 10 separate violations of the gag order totaling $10,000, and he was warned this week that further violations could result in jail time.
The former president is facing 34 charges of falsifying business records in connection to reimbursements made to his former fixer, Michael Cohen, for a payment to Daniels before the 2016 election. He has pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Trump visited the Jersey Shore during a break from the hush money trial. State law requires him to be present in the New York courtroom for his trial and he needs the judge’s permission to skip a day in court.
The Associated Press contributed.
