Live coverage: Recording reveals Trump pressuring Wayne County officials to not certify election results

Alex Woodward revisits the recent clash between Trump and Biden, where Trump has resorted to childish behavior and claims that it is the president, not himself, who exhibits authoritarian tendencies, despite Trump’s alarming statements that resemble those of Hitler.

Trump has a history of deflecting his own corrupt actions onto his adversaries, but this particular claim is only believable to those who believe in far-fetched conspiracy theories.

Former Republican representative Adam Kinzinger advised individuals to wear a face covering while in the company of the previous president due to his noticeable scent.

Kinzinger, a vocal critic of Trump, took to his X account this week to insinuate that his enemy possesses a strong smell.

Earlier this week, Kinzinger expressed surprise that those close to Trump have not mentioned the strong smell.

“It is truly remarkable. If possible, please wear a mask.”

When reached for comment about the accusation after it blew up on social media, a spokesperson for Trump returned the insult

The representative stated to The Independent that Adam Kinzinger passed gas during a live television appearance and is a jobless impostor.

“He has disgraced his country and disrespects everyone around him because he is a sad individual who is mad about how his miserable life has turned out.”

Ariana Baio possesses a greater amount.

Rudy Giuliani has declared bankruptcy under Chapter 11, just days after being directed to pay over $148 million to a mother and daughter who were election workers he slandered during the tumultuous aftermath of the 2020 presidential election. This highlights the decline of a man who was once praised as “America’s Mayor.”

The individual submitted documents in New York the day after a federal judge who is overseeing his defamation lawsuit instructed him to promptly compensate the women. This was due to his past behavior as a difficult participant in legal cases and concerns that he may attempt to hide his assets during potential appeals.

Last week, an eight-member jury unanimously agreed that Trump’s former attorney owes Ruby Freeman and her daughter Shaye Moss $16.2m and $16.99m respectively in compensatory damages, an additional $20m each for intentional infliction of emotional distress, and a further $75m in punitive damages.

Earlier this year, Judge Howell had already made a damning pretrial ruling finding Giuliani responsible for defamation. A four-day trial was held in Washington, DC to determine the amount he was required to pay.

Moss and Freeman, a mother-daughter duo working in a county election office, both faced constant mistreatment, intimidation, and discriminatory remarks following the 2020 election. Freeman had taken on a temporary position to assist with ballot counting.

Alex Woodward is up to date.

Good morning! In case you’re just tuning in, there has been a new controversy in Trump’s world.

Shocking, I know.

A recent report suggests that the leading candidate for the Republican nomination for president exerted personal pressure on two Republican officials in Michigan to not certify the outcome of the state’s 2020 election.

On November 17, 2020, the former president spoke to the Wayne County Board of Canvassers members and warned them that they would appear unfavorable if they fulfilled their responsibilities.

Per a report from The Detroit News, which obtained a recording of the conversation, Trump continued to urge the individuals, stating, “We must stand up and defend our nation.”

According to reports, Trump assured officials Monica Palmer and William Hartmann that his team would protect them and stressed the importance of not allowing others to take control of the country.

Ronna McDaniel, the chairwoman of the Republican National Committee and a Michigan resident, was present on the call and allegedly advised the officials, “If you are able to return home tonight, refrain from signing… We will provide you with legal representation.”

“We will handle that,” Trump stated.

Graeme Massie has the complete account.

In September 2020, President Biden drew a comparison between former President Trump and Nazi propaganda leader Joseph Goebbels. Just before winning the November election, President Biden shared with MSNBC that he saw Mr. Trump as “similar to Goebbels.”

Mr. Biden responded to Mr. Trump’s attempt to portray his opponent as a socialist by stating, “If you repeat a lie enough times, it eventually becomes accepted as truth.”

“I believe that the public can easily distinguish the contrast between myself and Donald Trump,” stated Mr. Biden. “Trump is dispersing peaceful protests in front of the White House with military force. This individual is more reminiscent of Castro than Churchill.”

After the 2020 election, Mr. Biden likened Texas Senator Ted Cruz to Goebbels for endorsing Mr. Trump’s false claims about the election being fraudulent.

The president-elect at the time recalled how Goebbels had greatly exaggerated the number of civilian casualties in the Dresden firebombing during World War II, which was reported in newspapers around the world. Goebbels believed that the bigger the lie and the more it was repeated, the more likely it would be accepted as truth.

According to Mr. Biden, both Mr. Cruz and Mr. Trump promoted the idea that the election was flawed without any evidence to support their statements.

“They are a component of the false narrative,” stated Mr. Biden during that period. He referenced the infamous propaganda technique of repeating a lie until it becomes accepted as truth, commonly known as the “big lie.” He then cited an example of this from history, when the bombing of Dresden resulted in a discrepancy between the reported death toll and the exaggerated number spread by Nazi Minister of Propaganda, Joseph Goebbels. Despite the misinformation, our newspapers still published it, contributing to the perpetuation of the “big lie.”

In the early months of 1945, approximately 25,000 innocent people lost their lives in the bombing of Dresden. The Nazi leader Goebbels, who was notorious for spreading false information, falsely stated that the death toll was 200,000.

When questioned about whether Mr. Cruz or Senator Josh Hawley from Missouri, both of whom contributed to the delay in certifying the election results, should step down, Mr. Biden stated, “They should be soundly defeated in the next election.”

During the time, Mr Biden stated that if Mr Trump was the sole person making those statements, it would be one thing. However, the individuals who support him, such as Cruz and others, are equally accountable for their actions.

Some people genuinely believe these false claims because they have been exposed to them repeatedly.

“The American people have a very clear understanding of who they are,” he stated to the media during that time. “They are perpetuating the big lie.”

During a fundraising event in San Francisco last November, Joe Biden criticized Donald Trump’s remarks in New Hampshire. Trump stated that he would eliminate any communists, Marxists, fascists, and radical leftists who reside in our country and engage in deceitful and corrupt behavior during elections.

“I have numerous reasons for opposing Donald Trump, but I strongly believe he is not fit for the presidency,” expressed Mr. Biden.

“Recently, Trump stated that if he is re-elected, he intends to target and eliminate those who oppose him, referring to them as ‘vermin’. This specific phrase carries a specific connotation,” stated Mr. Biden.

Biden remarked that the language used by Trump is reminiscent of that used in Nazi Germany during the 1930s. This is not the first time, as Trump recently stated that “the blood of America is being poisoned,” which echoes similar phrases used during the Nazi regime.

A statement from Ammar Moussa, a spokesperson for the Biden campaign, declared that over a weekend when many Americans were paying tribute to our nation’s heroes, Donald Trump echoed the authoritarian rhetoric of Adolf Hitler and Benito Mussolini – two dictators who were opposed by numerous US veterans who made the ultimate sacrifice for their country.

The White House and President Biden seem to be utilizing the likeness of Hitler, a universally detested figure in recent history, as a means to attack the previous president. This tactic aims to jog the memories of voters and the coalition that helped elect Biden in 2020, highlighting the reasons behind their decision to remove Trump from office.

The president often references his father when criticizing his predecessor, saying “Do not compare me to the Almighty. Compare me to the alternative.”

Biden is urging voters to consider the alternative if they are not fond of him. His campaign is emphasizing the importance of re-electing him in order to prevent the potential rise of fascism in the country.

Mr Biden’s focus on the fate of global democracy was clear after he entered the White House as he hosted a “Summit for Democracy” within a year of becoming president “to renew democracy at home and confront autocracies abroad”.

However, the dangers that Mr. Biden recognized in 2020 still persist. In fact, they have only become more severe. Mr. Putin is now even more certain that he can outlast the Western world, despite the lackluster beginning of his invasion of Ukraine. Additionally, Mr. Xi has broken tradition and begun a third term as the leader of the Chinese Communist Party, a position that has not been held since Mao’s death.

In his own residence, Mr. Trump is pushing the boundaries, openly expressing his admiration for authoritarian leaders, leveraging critiques of left-leaning politicians to rally his supporters, and positioning himself as a semi-divine figure by claiming that he is under attack for defending the average American citizen.

According to Mr. Biden, he is uncertain if he would run for office again if he didn’t have to compete against Mr. Trump. Most people believe that Mr. Trump’s nomination for the GOP is already decided.

Following the decision by the Colorado Supreme Court to remove Mr. Trump from the state’s ballot due to his involvement in the Capitol riot, Mr. Biden was questioned on Wednesday about whether he believes Mr. Trump is an insurgent.

“It’s clear. You witnessed everything. As for the applicability of the 14th Amendment, that decision will be left to the court. However, there is no doubt that he backed an insurrection. Absolutely none.” Said by Mr. Biden.

Leaders such as Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Turkey, Viktor Orban in Hungary, the recently removed Law and Justice Party in Poland, ex-President Jair Bolsonaro in Brazil, Narendra Modi in India, and more notably Vladimir Putin of Russia and Xi Jinping of China, have built their leadership on the belief that we are living in an era of strong and powerful leaders.

Mr. Biden has personal connections with many of them due to his past roles as Vice President and Senator, specifically as the leader of the Foreign Relations Committee.

Mr Biden has made clear that the cataclysm that led to his decision to run in 2020 was the neo-Nazi rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, in 2017 after which Mr Trump said there were “very fine” people on both sides – both among the counter-protesters and among the violent white supremacists carrying tiki torches and chanting “Jews will not replace us”.