Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) has said that the legal cases against former President Donald Trump are effectively serving as a “legal version of an ankle bracelet,” affecting his campaigning ahead of the November elections.
Multiple media outlets have described the Bronx event as a rally, reporting that it will be President Trump’s first large-scale campaign in New York state since 2016, when he held two events at the Times Union Center in Albany and another in Buffalo.
However, The Epoch Times has not been able to independently confirm those claims.
“By the way, Trump’s doing it in the South Bronx not to make a point, but because he’s got court,” Rep. Ocasio-Cortez told reporters.
“The man practically has the legal version of an ankle bracelet around him, and he can’t leave the five boroughs because he always has to be in court,” she continued. “So it is truly an embarrassment to him.”
President Trump’s visit to the Bronx is taking place just days before a Manhattan jury is set to begin deliberations on whether or not to convict him of felony charges in his New York trial.
Trump Trial Hinders Campaign Efforts
Prosecutors claim the payment was made to Ms. Clifford to keep her quiet about an alleged affair with President Trump that she claims took place decades earlier.President Trump has denied the affair and pleaded not guilty to all counts.
However, he is required to be present in the courtroom for the duration of the trial, which his Republican allies argue has severely hindered his campaigning ahead of November’s presidential elections.
According to a recent news release from the Trump campaign, the former U.S. leader on Thursday will address his supporters in Crotona Park, a public green space in a borough that is both highly diverse and highly impoverished. Roughly 65 percent of residents are Hispanic and 31 percent are black, according to U.S. Census data.
Meanwhile, around 35 percent of residents in the area live below the poverty line.
President Trump will use his visit to highlight the “horrendous effects” President Joe Biden’s “disastrous” time in office has had on the U.S. economy, according to his campaign.
“New Yorkers have suffered greatly thanks to Biden’s failed policies,” his campaign said in the release, adding that prices have soared 17.5 percent in the Empire State since President Biden was sworn in.
New York State ‘Decimated by Biden’
“New York families continue to suffer from high inflation on everyday goods,” President Trump’s campaign said. “In fact, New Yorkers have spent $7,747 more on transportation, $3,542 more on energy, $3,637 more on food, and $3,921 more on shelter on average since January 2021 due to Bidenflation.”The press release also noted the rise in violent crime across New York City and the state at large, again taking aim at what the campaign said are “Biden’s and Democrats’ pro-criminal policies.”
It concluded that New York state is a “place near to President Trump’s heart,” that “has been decimated by Biden.”
“President Trump will ease the financial pressures placed on households and re-establish law and order in New York!” the press release read. “We can Make America Great Again by tackling lawlessness head-on, ceasing the endless flow of illegal immigrants across our southern border, and reversing the detrimental effects of inflation by restoring people’s wealth.”
Ahead of President Trump’s appearance, the Bronx Democratic Party has said it is planning to protest his visit.
The Epoch Times has contacted a spokesperson for President Trump for comment.
