President Trump found a new way to mock the House’s impeachment inquiry.
During remarks Monday at the International Association of Chiefs of Police Annual Conference and Exposition in Chicago, Trump called the impeachment inquiry a “scam” while criticizing both Chicago Police Chief Eddie Johnson — who boycotted the President’s appearance at the event, citing “personal values” — and the case against actor Jussie Smollett.
“But under Johnson’s leadership, they certainly don’t protect people,” Trump said. “Then you have the case of this wise guy Jussie Smollett, who beat up himself. And he said MAGA country did it, MAGA country. He said it’s a hate crime, and it’s a scam.”
Trump proceeded to connect the Smollett case to the House’s ongoing impeachment inquiry, which he also called a “scam.”
“It’s a real big scam just like the impeachment of your President is a scam,” Trump said, which was met with cheers from the audience. The President then abruptly pivoted back to the point he was making about the Smollett case.
“And then you look what’s going on, Smollett is still trying get away with it,” Trump said, before launching into a rant about how Chicago is the worst sanctuary city in America. “He would have been better off if he paid his $100,000 bill.”
Last week, a federal judge refused to dismiss the city of Chicago’s lawsuit against Smollett. Chicago is seeking to recover more than $130,000 in police overtime that was accrued as a result of the investigation into the actor’s January report of a hate crime attack that he is now accused of staging.
Watch Trump’s remarks below:
Trump compares impeachment inquiry to Jussie Smollett case pic.twitter.com/gfnb2mvw1Y
— TPM Livewire (@TPMLiveWire) October 28, 2019
