Rep. Dean Phillips (D-MN), one of President Joe Biden’s primary challengers, has admitted that the Democrats’ lawfare tactics have “backfired.”
In a new interview with CNN’s Manu Raju, Phillips conceded that the “hush money” case against President Donald Trump in New York has “backfired” on the Democrats who hoped the case would be their “salvation.”
Phillips also appeared to be referencing New York Attorney General Letitia James’s civil “fraud” trial against Trump, which concluded earlier this year.
“I think the New York cases, if anything, may have backfired against those who thought that it would be the salvation,” Phillips told Raju.
“But I don’t think the New York cases are exactly what Democrats were hoping they would be.”
Closing arguments are expected this week in Trump’s New York “hush money” case, brought by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg.
He faces 34 counts of falsifying business records related to payments made to adult film star Stormy Daniels prior to the 2016 election.
The prosecution has failed to provide any evidence tying Trump to any such payments during the trial, however.
Phillips launched an unsuccessful primary challenge against President Biden late last year.
The Democrat congressman ended up dropping out of the race after a series of dismal finishes.
Legal commentators have said a conviction is possible in the landmark case due to the extremely biased nature of the proceedings.
However, wild unrelated testimonies, allegations of crimes against the witnesses, and the judge’s deep ties to Democrats have all laid the foundations for an appeal.
Meanwhile, anti-Trump lawmakers appeared frustrated that the lawfare attacks are not going their way.
Raju spoke to lawmakers about whether a Trump acquittal in the New York trial might give him a political boost.
“I don’t really think so,” Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-MD), a former Trump “impeachment manager,” told the CNN reporter.
“I think, you know, Donald Trump’s character is clear to the world.”
Democrat Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CN) said he’s “deeply disturbed” that multiple cases against Trump won’t go to trial ahead of the critical November election.
“The broad centrist middle of the American people, I think, understand what he did and why it is so abhorrent,” Blumenthal told CNN.
“I’m already deeply disturbed that Donald Trump has succeeded in slow-walking one or more of those cases.”
WATCH:
President Biden's primary challenger Dean Phillips admits Trump's "hush money" case has "backfired" on the Democrats. pic.twitter.com/gQaDDFqWsJ
— Slay News (@Slay_News_) May 28, 2024
A conviction in New York would trigger an instant appeal, however.
The timeline for resolving that could be lengthy.
In the meantime, however, Biden and Trump’s other political foes are planning to label him a “convicted felon” on the campaign trail while the appeal plays out.
CNN’s Sara Murray said a Trump acquittal from the jury in deep blue New York City would be the nightmare scenario for Democrats.
“Acquitted is the worst-case scenario for Democrats because then, it’s the only trial you have and Donald Trump gets to go out there and say Joe Biden’s prosecutors, which again, not true, came after me,” Murray said.
“His Department of Justice came after me and they still didn’t convict me.
“I’m still innocent.”
She also said there could be a hung jury.
Trump’s fate would then truly be left to the voters.
