CNN host shames Trump by airing his long laundry list of reasons he can't be put on trial
CNN anchor Abby Phillip ran through a laundry list of Donald Trump's excuses as he tried yet again on Tuesday to escape some of the 91 criminal charges against him.
The Newsnight host listed what she suggested was a complete list of the reasons why Trump says he should avoid prosecution or evade the civil claims against him. It wasn't short.
“He says he’s immune. Presidents can’t obstruct justice. His intent wasn’t corrupt. The case is moving too fast. Or moving too slow. It’s an unfair venue. The judge is biased, and so are the clerks. The juries, too. He’s never met her. He doesn’t know her. She’s not his type. It was his personal account. Political persecution, witch hunt, perfect phone call, the deep state,” she said.
As she spoke, a list of the reasons Trump has used — so far unsuccessfully — scrolled on the screen next to her.
And she went on: “The first amendment and the fourth, the fifth, the sixth, and tenth amendment.”
The list took nearly a minute for her to get through. So far, Trump's lawyers have been unsuccessful in getting him off the hook in the four criminal cases he’s facing, coupled with several civil trials including defamation and fraud.
Phillip's presentation came just hours after Trump and his legal team appeared in a Washington, D.C, appeals court to argue he should be immune from special counsel Jack Smith’s charges that he interfered with the 2020 election. Trump claims he was acting in his official capacity as president, making criminal charges inapplicable.
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His lawyer, Dean John Sauer, also claimed a president could only be prosecuted criminally if he’s first impeached and convicted in the Senate.
“At this point, Trump is a collector of defenses like some people collect Pokémon," said Phillip. "But there is almost too much to count at this point. And trust us, we tried."