Former President Donald Trump recently posted on Truth Social, “Why did Deranged Jack Smith and the DOJ/FBI leak a tape to Fake News CNN, phony spin and all? Will they be prosecuted for this illegal act? Pure SCUM!”
Meanwhile, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis declined to answer a fairly straightforward question while campaigning for president in New Hampshire on Tuesday.
A young man asked whether former President Donald Trump, who is also running, prevented a peaceful transfer of power when he left office. The exchange was flagged by The Recount on Twitter.
After noting that “some people” believe Trump’s actions on and around the day of the Capitol insurrection on Jan. 6, 2021 violated the peaceful transfer of power, the questioner asked whether DeSantis feels that way:
“MAN: Do you believe that Trump violated the peaceful transfer of power – a key principle of American democracy that we must uphold?
DESANTIS: You in high school?
MAN: Uh, yeah.
DESANTIS: Where do you go to school? You go around here?
MAN: Uh, Vermont, but I live in New Hampshire.
DESANTIS: Oh, ok. So, you’re from Vermont. Well, thank you for the question. So, here’s what I know. If this election is about Biden’s failures and our vision for the future, we are going to win.
If it’s about are re-litigating things that happen two, three years ago, we’re gonna lose. And so, I can tell you this. I
[APPLAUSE]
DESANTIS: I can tell you this. I can point you to Tallahassee, Florida on, I believe, January 5, 2023. We had a transition of power from my first administration to my second ’cause I won reelection in a historic fashion. And at the end of the day, you know, we need to win and we need to get this done.
So, I wasn’t anywhere near Washington that day. I have nothing to do with what happened that day. Obviously, I didn’t enjoy seeing, you know, what happened. But we gotta go forward on this stuff. We cannot be looking backwards and be mired in the past.
Most of Trump’s challengers have largely avoided criticizing the former president, lest they draw the ire of his supporters. The strategy hasn’t paid dividends, as Trump has consistently led the field by wide margins.”
