On Tuesday Vivek Ramaswamy criticized the legal proceedings against former President Donald Trump, calling the trial a “politicized sham.” The case, led by New York prosecutor Alvin Bragg, centers around accusations that Trump falsified business records to conceal a $130,000 payment to adult-film actress Stormy Daniels in 2016.
Speaking passionately about his observations in the courtroom, Ramaswamy expressed his disdain for the proceedings: “It’s straight out of a Kafka novel,” he said. “The prosecution’s main strategy appears to be to bore the jurors into submission. And if you look in that direction, sadly, it may appear to actually be working.”
Ramaswamy, who was present during the trial, pointed to the lack of clarity in the charges against Trump. “What exactly is the crime that Donald Trump committed?” he asked, questioning the foundation of the case after hearing Michael Cohen’s testimony. “Oh wait, we have not heard a good answer to that question.”
Cohen, Trump’s former lawyer, has been a central figure in the case, testifying about his role in the payment and his efforts to protect Trump, including misleading the Federal Election Commission and lying to Congress. “Imagine if it was Joe Biden,” Ramaswamy posed, “you had a Republican judge whose son was collecting millions as a Republican operative. What would you all be saying? This would not be justice; this is injustice at its worst.”
Ramaswamy further argued that the case against Trump rested on untenable grounds, suggesting that whether Trump used personal or campaign funds, he would have been criticized either way. “It’s damned if you do, damned if you don’t,” he declared, describing the situation as a no-win scenario for Trump. “If this were happening in another country, we would be laughing at them as a sham democracy,” Ramaswamy said.
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Trump’s legal team plans to aggressively challenge Cohen’s reliability after the prosecution finishes questioning him. Cohen, who has admitted to federal offenses like lying to Congress, has faced significant scrutiny. Throughout the week, Cohen has provided his account of his involvement in the 2016 hush money payment scandal.
Testifying against his former boss on Tuesday, Cohen detailed how he executed payments to adult film actress Stormy Daniels to safeguard Trump’s presidential campaign. He claimed, “To ensure that the story would not come out — would not affect Mr. Trump’s chances of becoming president of the United States.”
“My family — my wife, my daughter, my son — all said to me, ‘Why are you holding onto this loyalty? What are you doing? We’re supposed to be your first loyalty,’” leading Cohen to say, “I would not lie for President Trump any longer.”
The trial has featured other significant moments, such as the objection to a question about Cohen’s guilty plea to campaign finance charges, which was sustained by Judge Merchan. In addition, Cohen described the back-channel communications orchestrated by his then-attorney Robert Costello, aimed at reassuring him of Trump’s support. Cohen reflected on these interactions with skepticism, indicating they were meant to keep him aligned with Trump’s interests covertly.
The case continues to unravel as Cohen confronts his past actions and associations. The trial will pause on Wednesday, its usual day off, and again on Friday for the high school graduation of Trump’s son.