Vice President Kamala Harris holds a roundtable at Fountain Street Church in Grand Rapids, Mich. on Feb. 22, 2024, as part of her Fight for Reproductive Freedoms tour. (Photo by Andrew Roth)

Vice President Kamala Harris in Detroit on Saturday slammed former President Donald Trump over his 34 felony convictions last month over hush money payments to an adult film actress before the 2016 election and said his actions are “disqualifying.”

“Donald Trump openly tried to overturn the last election. And now, he openly attacks the foundations of our justice system,” Harris said at the Michigan Democratic Party’s annual Legacy Dinner in Detroit, according to pool reports.

Harris traveled to Michigan on Saturday for two fundraisers, with the first at an Ann Arbor home. She also stopped at the Black Stone Bookstore and Cultural Center in Ypsilanti along with actress Octavia Spencer and was greeted by a crowd. Both Harris and President Joe Biden have made a point to visit Black-owned businesses during their trips to Michigan.

“Just look at the facts. Over the course of six weeks, a jury of 12 Americans reviewed the evidence,” she said. “His defense attorney actively participated in selecting that jury. And actively made decisions about which witnesses to call and cross examine. And the jury came back with a unanimous decision. Guilty on 34 counts.

“You know why he complains? Because the reality is, cheaters don’t like getting caught,” she added.

Harris condemned Trump’s attacks on judges and witnesses and said he plans to “use a second term for revenge.

“Simply put, Donald Trump thinks he is above the law. This should be disqualifying for anyone who wants to be President of the United States,” she said.

In response to Harris’ remarks, Victoria LaCivita, a spokeswoman for Trump’s Michigan campaign, said in a statement: “The American people have seen this trial for what it is — a rigged political witch hunt orchestrated by the failing Biden campaign.”

Biden was last in Michigan in May, serving as the keynote speaker at the annual Detroit NAACP dinner, while Harris campaigned in Detroit that month in an event touting the administration’s record on African Americans and the auto industry. Trump held a rally in Saginaw County last month during which he promised mass deportations and touted Roe v. Wade being overturned.

Harris also addressed the Israel-Hamas war, which has sparked dozens of pro-Palestinian protests in Southeast Michigan.

“Before I begin, I will say a few words about the morning which I know weighs heavily on all of our hearts,” Harris said in Detroit. “On Oct, 7, Hamas committed a brutal massacre of 1,200 innocent people and abducted 250 hostages. Thankfully, four of those hostages were reunited with their families tonight. And we mourn all of the innocent lives that have been lost in Gaza, including those tragically killed today.”

Biden has been trying to negotiate a permanent ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, as the eight-month-long conflict has killed about 1,200 in Israel and more than 34,000 in Gaza, according to the Hamas-controlled health ministry. The Associated Press has been able to confirm the deaths of almost 23,000 people in Gaza.

Harris’ speech was interrupted by a female protester who stood up, shouted at her and was removed from the ballroom, per the pool report. There also were pro-Palestinian protesters outside the event.

“I value and respect your voice, but I’m speaking right now,” Harris responded. “… We have been working every day to bring an end to this conflict in a way that ensures Israel is secure, brings home all hostages, ends ongoing suffering for Palestinian people and ensures that Palestinians can enjoy their right to self determination, dignity and freedom. As President Biden said last week, it is time for this war to end.”

Michigan Advance is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Michigan Advance maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Susan J. Demas for questions: info@michiganadvance.com. Follow Michigan Advance on Facebook and Twitter.

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