In one of her first campaign appearances since former President Donald J. Trump was convicted of falsifying business records, Vice President Kamala Harris slammed him Saturday as a “cheater” who believes himself above the law and argued he should be disqualified for the position. presidency.
Harris, who headlined a Democratic Party state dinner in downtown Detroit, rejected Trump’s false claims that his trial, like the 2020 presidential election, was “rigged” and defended the judicial process behind his conviction for Serious felony.
“Simply put, Donald Trump believes he is above the law,” he said. “This should disqualify anyone who wants to be president of the United States.”
Saturday night’s speech capped a day of campaigning in Michigan, a crucial battleground state. Ms. Harris was accompanied by actress Octavia Spencer as she attended a fundraiser in Ann Arbor and stopped at a black-owned bookstore in Ypsilanti.
In Detroit, the vice president opened her speech with comments about the war in Gaza. As she attempted to describe the Biden administration’s months-long efforts to negotiate a ceasefire agreement, a protester stood up, yelled at her, and was quickly removed from the ballroom. Ms. Harris’ response was stern: “I value and respect her voice, but I’m speaking right now.”
Then he continued his speech. “We have been working every day to end this conflict in a way that ensures Israel is safe, recovers all hostages, ends the continued suffering of the Palestinian people, and ensures that Palestinians can enjoy their right to self-determination. , dignity and freedom. ,” she said. “As President Biden said last week, it’s time for this war to end.”
As for the election, Harris, a former top prosecutor in California, accused Trump of attacking “the foundation of our justice system.” He said the former president was convicted by a jury of 12 Americans who were selected in part by his defense team, and that his lawyers had the opportunity to present their side of the evidence.
“Do you know why he complains? Because the reality is that cheaters don’t like to get caught,” she said.
A Trump campaign spokeswoman did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The event took place in a key state with a lot at stake. President Biden won the Michigan primary in February, 81 percent to 13 percent, prevailing over a movement that urged Democrats to vote “no compromise” down the ballot in protest of his support for Israel. But more than 100,000 voters took that stance against him, including progressives, young people and many members of the state’s large and politically active Arab-American community. Biden’s campaign has also been seeking to bolster his support among Black voters in cities like Detroit.
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