Former president Donald Trump joked on Friday about having his mugshot taken in Fulton County, Georgia when he spoke about the need for voter identification in elections.
The former president spoke at the Concerned Women for America’s National Summit in Washington, DC. During that time, he repeated his lies that he won the 2020 presidential election and called for the passage of a voter ID law.
“You have ID to buy a loaf of bread,” he said. “You have ID to buy a loaf of bread. You have everything.”
Mr Trump then said, in a rambling tirade, that when Democrats held their convention, they had plenty of pictures.
“It was like a billboard, it was actually very much like my mugshot if you want to know the truth,” he said as the audience laughed in response. “There's only one reason they don't want voter ID because they want to cheat. That's the only reason there's no there's no secondary reason.”
The twice-impeached and four-times indicted former president had his mugshot taken when he was arrested last month in Fulton County, Georgia last month. A grand jury in Georgia indicted Mr Trump and 18 associates for their efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election results in the state that President Joe Biden narrowly won.
Specifically, Mr Trump and the other people indicted were charged with violating Georgia’s Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act. Mr Trump criticised the multiple investigations he faces and said they were politically motivated.
“As you know, crooked Joe Biden and his radical left thugs have weaponized law enforcement to arrest their leading opponent by a lot leading on fake and phony charges to phony deal,” he said. “This is high level election interference and it's happening for a single reason because I'm the one candidate that they do not want to run against.”
In addition, Mr Trump railed against Special Counsel Jack Smith, whose investigation into Mr Trump has led to two indictments.
On Friday, federal prosecutors asked US District Court Judge Tanya Chutkan to take “immediate” steps to ensure a fair trial and impartial jury by drafting a “narrowly tailored order” to restrict “certain prejudicial extrajudicial statements. Prosecutors said that the when former president “publicly attacks individuals and institutions, he inspires others to perpetrate threats and harassment against his targets.”
Mr Trump criticised the effort, saying it was an attempt to muzzle him.
“And did you see today that deranged Jack Smith, he's the prosecutor he's a deranged person wants to take away my rights under the First Amendment wants to take away my right to speaking freely and openly,” he said. “Never forget our enemies want to stop us because we are the only ones that can stop them. They want to take away my freedom because I will never let them take away your freedom.”
