Former US president and convicted felon Donald Trump on Friday attacked the judge who oversaw his criminal case, said America is a “fascist state” and falsely asserted the prosecution had been engineered by the Biden administration.
Trump's comments at Trump Tower in New York came a day after jurors found him guilty of 34 criminal charges, making him the first president in US history to become a convicted felon.
He repeatedly professed his innocence while addressing his conviction on the felony counts in a case that accused him of trying to influence the 2016 presidential election by making illegal hush money payments to an adult film actress.
“There was no crime here,” 77-year-old Trump said, vowing to appeal against the verdict.
“I paid a lawyer, totally legal. I paid a lawyer, a legal expense,” he said while attempting to explain why he was convicted.
He went on to say: “We're living in a fascist state,” and attacked the judge who oversaw the case as “conflicted” and “crooked”.
Trump remains under a gag order and has been threatened with jail if he violates it. Some of his rhetoric about witnesses in the trial veered perilously close to violating the order.
He is locked in a tight race with President Joe Biden ahead of the November 5 election and repeatedly accused his rival of orchestrating the criminal prosecution.
There is no evidence the Biden administration had any contact with prosecutors in the case.
Trump took multiple shots at Mr Biden during his rambling, 40-minute tirade that at times sounded like a campaign event.
“I'm the leading candidate. I'm leading Biden by a lot and I'm leading the Republicans to the point where that's over,” he said.
“So I'm the leading person for president and I'm under a gag order by a man that can't put two sentences together, given by a court and they are in total conjunction with the White House and the [Department of Justice] just so you understand. This is all done by Biden and his people.”
Trump said the trial was “very unfair” and blamed “Washington” for his situation and sought to portray himself as a victim.
“I'm out there and I don't mind being out there because I'm doing something for this country and I'm doing something for our Constitution,” he said.
“It's very important and goes far beyond me. This can't be allowed to happen to other presidents.”
He called the system “rigged” against him, and after the verdict was announced, he declared that he was “a political prisoner” in an online campaign advert.
Mr Biden hit back against Trump's allegations, defending America's legal system.
“Our justice system has endured for nearly 250 years and it literally is the cornerstone of America,” Mr Biden said.
He went on to slam Trump for questioning the justice system.
“It's reckless, it's dangerous. It's irresponsible for anyone to say this was rigged, just because they don't like the verdict,” he said.
At the heart of the case was the charge that Trump's former fixer Michael Cohen paid $130,000 to adult film star Stormy Daniels – and then tried to cover it up – to ensure her silence about their alleged one-night stand in the lead-up to the 2016 election. Trump denies he slept with Daniels.
Falsifying business records carries a prison sentence of up to four years. But as a first-time offender, it is unlikely that New York prosecutors will seek a jail term.
Sentencing is scheduled for July 11 – only days before Trump is expected to be nominated as the Republican candidate for the presidential election.
The guilty verdict does not prevent Trump from the rematch with Mr Biden on November 5 for a second term in the White House.
Arab-American reaction
Victor Shiblie, a Palestinian American and publisher of The Washington Diplomat, said it is too soon to say how Trump's conviction will impact the November election and how Arab Americans will respond.
“Anybody who's looked at American elections knows that there's a long way to go, and public opinion can sway very quickly, and even at the last minute,” Mr Shiblie told The National.
He said that historically, the reason Arab Americans have voted for Democrats is over foreign policy, but this could change, given the anger against Mr Biden over his handling of the Israel-Gaza war.
“Biden has failed them,” Mr Shiblie said. “So now people are re-evaluating. Most don’t want to vote for Trump, but some will.”
Donald Trump's criminal trial in New York – in pictures
If you go
The flights Etihad (www.etihad.com) and Spice Jet (www.spicejet.com) fly direct from Abu Dhabi and Dubai to Pune respectively from Dh1,000 return including taxes. Pune airport is 90 minutes away by road.
The hotels A stay at Atmantan Wellness Resort (www.atmantan.com) costs from Rs24,000 (Dh1,235) per night, including taxes, consultations, meals and a treatment package.
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- Always ask for the dress code if you don’t know
- Wear a white kandura, white ghutra / shemagh (headwear) and black shoes for work
- Wear 100 per cent cotton under the kandura as most fabrics are polyester
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Tamkeen's offering
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Timeline
2012-2015
The company offers payments/bribes to win key contracts in the Middle East
May 2017
The UK SFO officially opens investigation into Petrofac’s use of agents, corruption, and potential bribery to secure contracts
September 2021
Petrofac pleads guilty to seven counts of failing to prevent bribery under the UK Bribery Act
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A new relationship with the old country
Treaty of Friendship between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United Arab Emirates
The United kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United Arab Emirates; Considering that the United Arab Emirates has assumed full responsibility as a sovereign and independent State; Determined that the long-standing and traditional relations of close friendship and cooperation between their peoples shall continue; Desiring to give expression to this intention in the form of a Treaty Friendship; Have agreed as follows:
ARTICLE 1 The relations between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United Arab Emirates shall be governed by a spirit of close friendship. In recognition of this, the Contracting Parties, conscious of their common interest in the peace and stability of the region, shall: (a) consult together on matters of mutual concern in time of need; (b) settle all their disputes by peaceful means in conformity with the provisions of the Charter of the United Nations.
ARTICLE 2 The Contracting Parties shall encourage education, scientific and cultural cooperation between the two States in accordance with arrangements to be agreed. Such arrangements shall cover among other things: (a) the promotion of mutual understanding of their respective cultures, civilisations and languages, the promotion of contacts among professional bodies, universities and cultural institutions; (c) the encouragement of technical, scientific and cultural exchanges.
ARTICLE 3 The Contracting Parties shall maintain the close relationship already existing between them in the field of trade and commerce. Representatives of the Contracting Parties shall meet from time to time to consider means by which such relations can be further developed and strengthened, including the possibility of concluding treaties or agreements on matters of mutual concern.
ARTICLE 4 This Treaty shall enter into force on today’s date and shall remain in force for a period of ten years. Unless twelve months before the expiry of the said period of ten years either Contracting Party shall have given notice to the other of its intention to terminate the Treaty, this Treaty shall remain in force thereafter until the expiry of twelve months from the date on which notice of such intention is given.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF the undersigned have signed this Treaty.
DONE in duplicate at Dubai the second day of December 1971AD, corresponding to the fifteenth day of Shawwal 1391H, in the English and Arabic languages, both texts being equally authoritative.
Signed
Geoffrey Arthur Sheikh Zayed
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Moral education needed in a 'rapidly changing world'
Moral education lessons for young people is needed in a rapidly changing world, the head of the programme said.
Alanood Al Kaabi, head of programmes at the Education Affairs Office of the Crown Price Court - Abu Dhabi, said: "The Crown Price Court is fully behind this initiative and have already seen the curriculum succeed in empowering young people and providing them with the necessary tools to succeed in building the future of the nation at all levels.
"Moral education touches on every aspect and subject that children engage in.
"It is not just limited to science or maths but it is involved in all subjects and it is helping children to adapt to integral moral practises.
"The moral education programme has been designed to develop children holistically in a world being rapidly transformed by technology and globalisation."
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