Former President Donald Trump spent his final hours before his expected Tuesday arraignment lashing out on Truth Social and trying to solicit funds from supporters.
Trump, who reportedly rejected an offer for a quiet arraignment over Zoom and demanded a spectacle outside the Manhattan courthouse on Tuesday, complained on Truth Social that Manhattan is a "VERY UNFAIR VENUE" because almost no one there voted for him.
"VERY UNFAIR VENUE, WITH SOME AREAS THAT VOTED 1% REPUBLICAN. THIS CASE SHOULD BE MOVED TO NEARBY STATEN ISLAND - WOULD BE A VERY FAIR AND SECURE LOCATION FOR THE TRIAL," Trump wrote.
Trump received more than 60% of the vote in Staten Island in 2020 while losing Manhattan 85-15.
Trump also targeted New York Supreme Court Judge Juan Merchan, citing right-wing reports that his daughter worked for then-candidate Kamala Harris' campaign in 2019 before she dropped out.
"THE HIGHLY PARTISAN JUDGE & HIS FAMILY ARE WELL KNOWN TRUMP HATERS," Trump claimed. "HE WAS AN UNFAIR DISASTER ON A PREVIOUS TRUMP RELATED CASE, WOULDN'T RECUSE, GAVE HORRIBLE JURY INSTRUCTIONS, & IMPOSSIBLE TO DEAL WITH DURING THE WITCH HUNT TRIAL. HIS DAUGHTER WORKED FOR "KAMALA" & NOW THE BIDEN-HARRIS CAMPAIGN. KANGAROO COURT!!!"
Trump's campaign also sought to cash in on the former president's arraignment, sending a fundraising email with the subject "My last email before my arrest."
New fundraising email from Donald Trump, subject line: "My last email before my arrest" pic.twitter.com/8olY4DqyiT
— Sahil Kapur (@sahilkapur) April 4, 2023
Late last week, Trump went on another Truth Social rampage accusing Merchan of hating him.
"The Judge 'assigned' to my Witch Hunt Case, a 'Case' that has NEVER BEEN CHARGED BEFORE, HATES ME," Trump wrote. "His name is Juan Manuel Marchan, was hand picked by Bragg & the Prosecutors, & is the same person who 'railroaded' my 75 year old former CFO, Allen Weisselberg, to take a 'plea' deal (Plead GUILTY, even if you are not, 90 DAYS, fight us in Court, 10 years (life!) in jail. He strong armed Allen, which a judge is not allowed to do, & treated my companies, which didn't 'plead,' VICIOUSLY."
Trump's own lawyer, Joe Tacopina, rejected the former president's claim in an interview with ABC News on Sunday.
"Do I think the judge is biased?" Tacopina said. "Of course not."
.@GStephanopoulos: “Pres. Trump has attacked the judge…Do you believe the judge is biased?”
— This Week (@ThisWeekABC) April 2, 2023
Former Pres. Trump’s attorney Joe Tacopina: “No, I don’t believe the judge is biased. I mean the president is entitled to his own opinion.” https://t.co/Gk43TheOAb pic.twitter.com/y95W3dCTSP
