Former Democratic New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo told comedian Bill Maher late Friday that presumptive 2024 Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump’s Manhattan trial “should have never been brought” and described the effect it has had on the race.
Trump’s campaign finished May with $116.6 million raised — $25 million more than President Joe Biden’s reelection campaign, Politico reported. Cuomo said it was “scary” that more than half of New Yorkers believe “the justice system is politicized,” prompting the “Real Time” host to note Trump’s subsequent surge in financial support.
“You know what’s scary about this from my point of view?” Cuomo began. “The trials in New York. There’s Florida, Georgia and two in New York. The two trials in New York: New Yorkers said, 66% said the justice system is politicized. And there’s nobody in New York who likes Trump. And, still, 66% said the justice system is politicized. That’s why I think he’s not paying the same price for these verdicts because they believe it is political. And you wanna talk about a threat to democracy? When you have this country believing you’re playing politics with the justice system, and you’re trying to put people in jail or convict them for political reasons, then we have a real problem.”
“I saw two stories in the paper today about the election. One is that Biden has slightly pulled ahead — although not in the states where it’s gonna matter — but nationally, which was news to me. And then the second one was fundraising,” Maher said. “The trial in New York, the one he got convicted for, was the greatest fundraising bonanza ever. He was lagging behind Biden and now he’s pulled quite a bit ahead. That trial was the greatest reason people had to send their checks for five, 10, 25, whatever dollars to Donald Trump.”
Maher then said that “it’s a Hobson’s choice always” when it comes to Trump because “he’s always guilty.” Hobson’s choice refers to “the option of taking either what is available or nothing at all; no choice,” according to the Oxford English Dictionary.
The comedian then warned about prosecuting Trump because the “repercussions might be worse.” (RELATED: ‘Don’t Want To Underestimate Him’: Donald Trump Calls Biden A ‘Worthy Debater’)
Trump took aim at Maher on social media Saturday morning, calling the “Real Time” host “highly overrated.” He also urged Republicans to “stop using” the liberal comedian as “a reference point.”
“Bill Maher, the highly overrated ‘Star’ of the ratings challenged show with the Fake, Loud and Obnoxious laughter pouring out of your set every few seconds, even when nothing was said that was funny (which is most of the time!), suffers from a terminal case of Trump Derangement Syndrome, sometimes referred to as TDS. Republicans should stop using him as a reference point, his show is dead!” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
