Pelosi has timed my trial to put paid to Sanders, claims president
DONALD TRUMP has accused senior Democrats of timing his impeachment trial to wreck the chances of Bernie Sanders becoming their presidential nominee.
Iowa is the first state to vote in the Democrat race on Feb 3, but Mr Sanders will be unable to campaign there because, as a US senator, he will be required to be a juror in Mr Trump’s trial in Washington.
In 2016, the hierarchy of the Democratic party faced accusations that it deliberately sought to influence the nomination process in favour of Hillary Clinton amid fears that Mr Sanders, a democratic socialist, was too radical.
Floating his latest conspiracy theory, Mr Trump said: “They are rigging the election again against Bernie Sanders, just like last time, only even more obviously.
“They are bringing him out of so important Iowa in order that, as a senator, he sits through the Impeachment Hoax Trial.”
Mr Trump’s attack coincided with a new poll showing Mr Sanders nosing ahead of the Democrat field for the first time – with some speculating that Mr Trump may feel quietly threatened by the Leftist firebrand.
But the president reserved his public ire for Nancy Pelosi, the House Speaker and frequent target of his attacks, who delayed transmitting the articles of impeachment to the Senate, pushing the trial closer to the date of the Iowa vote.
He said: “Crazy Nancy thereby gives the strong edge to Sleepy Joe Biden, and Bernie is shut out again. Very unfair, but that’s the way the Democrats play the game. Anyway, it’s a lot of fun to watch.”
Despite his enthusiasm for impeaching the president, Mr Sanders himself said: “I would rather be in Iowa.”
The trial could potentially last until after the Iowa vote. Two other senators running for the nomination – Elizabeth Warren and Amy Klobuchar – face the same problem as Mr Sanders.
All three senators plan to dispatch their spouses, and celebrity supporters to Iowa in their place.
Mr Sanders has a host of celebrity backers who he could send, including singers Miley Cyrus and Ariana Grande, and actors Tim Robbins, Susan Sarandon, and Danny DeVito. Mrs Warren might be able to deploy celebrity supporters including Scarlett Johansson, Bette Midler, and Ryan Reynolds.
During breaks in the trial they will send out messages on social media to voters, and hold “virtual” events.
Mrs Warren said she would be hampered by not being able to conduct “selfie lines”. It has become a feature of her campaign events that she spends hours taking “selfies” with voters.
The key beneficiaries of the situation will be Mr Biden and Pete Buttigieg, the two leading candidates who are not senators.
Impeachment is extremely low on the list of issues concerning voters in Iowa, according to polls. The two most important issues for them are healthcare and climate change.
A Reuters/Ipsos national poll this
‘Very unfair but that’s the way the Democrats play the game. Anyway, it’s a lot of fun to watch’
week put Mr Sanders on 20 per cent, ahead of Mr Biden on 19 per cent.
It was the first time since October that Mr Biden has not led the Democrat field in a national poll.
In Iowa a recent Des Moines Register/ CNN poll, widely considered the most authoritative in the state, had Mr Sanders taking the lead by three points.
Another poll in New Hampshire, the second state to vote, put Mr Sanders five points ahead there.
Mrs Warren is not far off the lead in Iowa, while Ms Klobuchar is in fifth place and rising, according to polls.
The president’s annual State of the Union Address is scheduled on Feb4, raising the possibility that Mr Trump could deliver it in Congress while simultaneously being on trial there.