Donald Trump Blames Washington D.C. For His Election Interference Case – Donald Trump said he will make the “dirty, crime ridden death trap” of Washington D.C. part of his election platform in a late-night post on Truth Social.
The former president is scheduled to face trial in the Capitol next year over alleged election interference and his role in the January 6 riots in the dying days of his presidency. He has repeatedly claimed he is the subject of a politically motivated “witch hunt” in relation to the large volume of court cases he faces in the lead-up to next year’s presidential election.
“Washington (D.C.) has become a dirty, crime ridden death trap, that must be taken over and properly run by the Federal Government. It is, and will be, part of my Election Platform,” Trump wrote in a post on his social media platform. “We will clean it, renovate and rebuild it – and, most importantly, MAKE IT SAFE. Right now it is probably the most unsafe capital city anywhere in the World.”
Doubt Over A Fair Trial
Trump and his aides have toyed with the possibility of moving his Washington D.C. trial elsewhere. The city is a Democratic stronghold, with the Republican frontrunner’s attorneys seeking to delay the trial until after the election, or move it to a more GOP-friendly jurisdiction like West Virginia.
On Sunday evening, Trump shared an article from Breitbart News focusing on crime in the city. The former president pointed to claims in the article about residents’ concerns, and argued he would not be able to get a fair trial.
“With this in mind, there is NO WAY I can get a fair trial on a Biden, Election Interference Indictment, in D.C.,” Trump wrote. “Obviously, at the appropriate time, if this ridiculous case should be allowed to proceed forward, which is, according to legal scholars, very doubtful, I will be making a demand for a Venue Change!”
Dismissing Discussions
Trump, who denies all wrongdoing, has not responded well to his four-charge indictment in the Capitol. Along with his attempts to move the trial to a more “impartial” venue, the former president has even asked the judge presiding over the case to dismiss all charges under the basis that he was protected by presidential immunity.
The Department of Justice last week urged the court to dismiss the case, for which he is accused of leading a campaign of “dishonesty, fraud and conceit,” to obstruct a “bedrock function” of a democracy. Federal prosecutors argued that the former president is “not above the law,” and is “subject to federal criminal laws” which applies to all Americans, no matter their political status.
Trump is facing three further indictments as well as three civil cases over the next 12 months. His legal battles will occur simultaneously as his presidential campaign, given his monumental lead over Republican rivals in the race for the party nomination.
Shay Bottomley is a British journalist based in Canada. He has written for the Western Standard, Maidenhead Advertiser, Slough Express, Windsor Express, Berkshire Live and Southend Echo, and has covered notable events including the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee.
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