Joe Biden Dismisses Trump Claim That He Orchestrated His Conviction: “I Didn’t Know I Was That Powerful”
UPDATE: President Joe Biden responded to Donald Trump’s claim that he was orchestrating his prosecution and conviction.
“I didn’t know I was that powerful,” Biden told Fox News’ Peter Doocy as the president left the White House this evening, per a pool report.
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Doocy also asked Biden whether he is worried that “this could happen to you someday.”
“Not at all. I didn’t do anything wrong. The system still works,” Biden said.
The president also said he had “no idea” whether the conviction will help his rival’s presidential campaign.
Meanwhile, the Trump campaign has keyed in to one moment during Biden’s remarks earlier in the day. After speaking to reporters at the White House, the president turned to leave and was asked by NBC News’ Kelly O’Donnell about Trump’s claim that he is a “political prisoner” and that he blames Biden directly.
Biden turned and gave a bit of a grin but did not respond.
The Trump campaign’s Chris LaCivita called it “the face of corruption.”
But the Biden administration is not responsible for Trump’s prosecution, which happened in a New York state court.
PREVIOUSLY: President Joe Biden weighed in on Donald Trump’s conviction today, defending the judicial process while warning critics that it was “reckless” and “dangerous” to characterize the proceedings as “rigged.”
“The American principle that no one is above the law was reaffirmed,” Biden said, in his first remarks since Trump was found guilty on 34 felony counts of falsifying business records.
“Donald Trump was given every opportunity to defend himself. It was a state case, not a federal case. It was heard by a jury of 12 citizens, 12 Americans, 12 people like you. Like millions of Americans who served on juries, this jury was chosen the same way every jury in America is chosen. It was a process that Donald Trump’s attorney was part of. The jury heard five weeks of evidence. Five weeks. After careful deliberation, the jury reached a unanimous verdict. They found Donald Trump guilty on all 34 felony counts.
“Now he will be given the opportunity, as he should, to appeal that decision, just like everyone else has that opportunity. That’s how the American system of justice works.”
Biden added, “And it’s reckless. It’s dangerous. It’s irresponsible for anyone to say this was rigged, just because they don’t like the verdict. Our justice system has endured for nearly 250 years. And it literally is a cornerstone of America, our justice system, justice should be respected. And we should never allow anyone to tear it down. It’s as simple as that. That’s America. That’s who we are. That’s who we will always be, God willing.”
Trump has accused Biden of orchestrating his prosecution, but the case was brought by the Manhattan district attorney, not the federal Justice Department.
The former president also has repeatedly attacked the hush money trial as “rigged” and, after the verdict, a long list of Republicans joined him in arguing that the result was proof that the justice system was corrupt. Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) called it a “political show trial” while others claimed that the U.S. has slipped into a banana republic.
The White House in general has said little on the case, but his campaign issued a statement shortly after the verdict on Thursday.
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