Former President Trump ripped the New York justice system in comments ahead of court Monday while touting that he believes he can win the historically blue Empire State this election cycle.
"The criminal justice system is on trial in New York,'" Trump said Monday morning, reading an excerpt from legal expert and lawyer Alan Dershowitz. He then added, "I love this state. I love the people of the state. I'm running hard in New York."
"I think we're going to win New York," he said.
Trump also cited other cases he has faced in the state while slamming the court system as "corrupt."
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Trump is back in Manhattan for his 19th day in court, where his former attorney Michael Cohen faces ongoing cross-examination. The case focuses on the prosecution team trying to prove Trump falsified business records 34 times to conceal a $130,000 payment to former pornography star Stormy Daniels ahead of the 2016 election to quiet her claims of an affair with Trump.
Trump has pleaded not guilty in the case and has maintained his innocence.
Trump's legal team said last week they expect to wrap up questioning with Cohen early Monday morning. Closing arguments could begin as early as Tuesday.
Trump's remarks Monday morning included lamenting that the court's earlier than typical start time, which began at 8:45 a.m. as opposed to its usual 9:30 a.m. start, which he said prevented him from campaign obligations.
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"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. 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," Trump said.
Trump also slammed the case again as a political attack against him at the hands of the Biden administration.
"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 ice box all day,'" he said.
Trump has largely been kept away from the campaign trail amid the trial, as he is required to be in court four days a week unless presiding Judge Juan Merchan makes a rare exception, such as on Friday when Trump attended his son Barron's high school graduation.
Trump has made a few campaign stops since last month, including holding a rally that has been described as historic in deep blue New Jersey. At least 80,000 supporters joined Trump on the beaches of Wildwood last weekend for a rally.
He is expected to hold his next rally in the Bronx, another historically deep blue area, which will be his first New York rally since 2016. Trump has also repeatedly floated holding a rally at Madison Square Garden in Manhattan ahead of the election.
