SPIN: Trump lies his way through post-arraignment Bedminster speech
Trump had a uniquely horrible no-good day down in Miami on Tuesday during his arraignment, but things quickly normalized on returning to Bedminster, New Jersey, where he delivered his furious response to his arraignment, played the victim, and begged for money.
Normal.
The always understated and humble Trump began his speech by claiming to be the victim of some bad people.
Indeed, Trump’s penchant for understatement was on display in claiming to be the victim of “the most evil and heinous abuse of power in the history of our country,” executed by Joe Biden and “a band of his closest thugs, misfits, and Marxists.”
He defensively said that he had planned to go through those boxes, but he’s a busy man and has been made busier by all these people attacking him.
He just didn’t have time. He has golf to play! But his statement also implied that he surely would’ve given the documents back if he just had enough time, which is…odd.
Bizarrely, this billionaire president packed like a college kid.
He told his audience of supporters that he had boxes with “shirts,” shoes, pictures, and “his documents” – Top-Secret SAP materials, all boxed up together.
A really cynical person might say that the shirts and pictures were spread amongst the classified material to make it appear to be mistakenly rushed packing.
That defense was gone long ago, however.
Trump called Jack Smith a “raging and uncontrolled Trump hater.”
Far more dangerously, he mentioned Jack Smith’s wife, again, as the producer of a Michelle Obama “puff piece.”
This is mob stuff. Making mention of the prosecutor’s family.
Trump then went with unapologetic fascism, promising to send a “real prosecutor” after the “entire Biden crime family” when he’s president.
Only Trump forgot to mention exactly what crime the Biden family has committed.
Given that Trump has already asked Ukrainian President Zelinsky to open an investigation into Biden, maybe Trump will appoint Putin to do the investigation.
Flipping quickly to campaign mode, it was 2016 all over again as he claimed to be the only one who could “save this nation,” which necessitates dismantling the “deep state.” (Those people who enforce the laws and prevent dictatorships.)
Trump vows that if he wins the presidency, he will appoint a special prosecutor to "go after Biden" and "the entire Biden crime family."
"I will totally obliterate the deep state," Trump adds. "I am the only one who can save this nation." pic.twitter.com/khb1T4ya6x
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) June 14, 2023
Believe him when he says he plans to dismantle what he calls the “deep state.”
Republicans are preparing for a full takeover in 2024, no matter who wins (with perhaps two exceptions, Chris Christie and Asa Hutchinson.)
The America First Policy Institute is pre-approving 50,000 people to be placed into a new federal government after firing every existing civil servant who hasn’t been sufficiently loyal.
At that point, the federal government would consist solely of loyal Trumpers or “America Firsters” that would transfer their loyalty to DeSantis or whoever wins.
The move would mark the definitive transfer into a dictatorship. Think of the Soviet Union and the “party leaders” versus “others.”
But first, Trump has to get through his federal charges, Hilariously, Trump complained about Jack Smith being a left-wing lunatic right after mentioning that Jack Smith prosecuted (unsuccessfully) John Edwards.
TRUMP: My prosecutor is a radical left lunatic
ALSO TRUMP: My prosecutor tried to railroad John Edwards pic.twitter.com/8vLpXgsvWe
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) June 14, 2023
John Edwards’s 2007 campaign may have been the most liberal to date. Edwards focused on eradicating poverty because poverty was this country’s “greatest moral failure.”
And yes, yes Trump did bring up Hillary’s emails despite the fact that Hillary didn’t have a single email marked classified on her server, only ones classified after the fact.
Hillary's emails — drink! pic.twitter.com/CAlRDEm6nf
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) June 14, 2023
As the speech wound down, things got back into Trump’s comfort zone, his “no good, very bad day,” ruined by “thugs” like Merrick Garland, turned back to money and Trump’s expectation that his supporters should pay him to go through this.
According to The Daily Beast’s report,
“The speech was followed directly by a fundraising event at Bedminster, billed as the first of Trump’s 2024 presidential campaign. A copy of the invitation obtained by Politico promised backers who bundle at least $100,000 a private candlelit dinner. Donors who make more paltry offerings can still expect photo opportunities with Trump and a “VIP reception.”
With perfect symbolism, a group of 30 “real” Trump supporters, ones that couldn’t afford to join his swanky NYC exurb club, gathered at the gates to support him. No one offered to invite them in.
One protester said that there wouldn’t be “so many people” protesting outside the gate if Trump was guilty.
Someone tell Judge Cannon. She may be persuaded by such deep insights.
As things stand now, Trump and his lawyers will await Judge Cannon to issue a scheduling order and a first appearance in front of her.
The arraignment and Trump’s grievance speech were pro forma.
But many questions remain unanswered. When will Judge Cannon schedule Trump’s first appearance?
Her “immediateness” or “dilatoriness” in getting her order out – especially as compared to other felony cases in front of her – will tell Smith’s team a lot.
If Cannon usually issues her scheduling order within a week but allows two or more weeks to pass in Trump’s case, it would be an early indication that she was already on board with “delay,”…. something she knew to be her role when she previously accepted the jurisdiction of the civil case.
Will Smith’s team seek to get the case out of her court and have a neutral, more experienced judge adjudicate the matter?
Or will it go forward confidently, believing that it can win even with the wild card judge?
No one knows. But in South Florida’s “rocket docket,” we should not have to wait long for answers.
If we do? There’s a problem, still much smaller than Trump’s problems.
I can be reached at jasonmiciak@gmail.com and on Twitter @JasonMiciak.
Editor’s note: This is an opinion column that solely reflects the opinions of the author.
