George Stephanopoulos clashes with Trump's lawyer after he claims Biden was behind hush money case

LOS ANGELES CALIFORNIA: ABC's George Stephanopoulos found himself in a heated exchange with former President Donald Trump's lawyer, Will Scharf, during a segment on ABC's 'This Week'.

The clash centered around the recent conviction of Donald Trump on 34 counts. Scharf, representing Trump's defense, alleged collusion between President Joe Biden and the Manhattan District Attorney's office led by Alvin Bragg in prosecuting the case.

George Stephanopoulos challenges Will Scharf's claims and shifts focus to sentencing

“I vehemently disagree that the district attorney in New York was not politically motivated here,” Scharf said, “and I vehemently disagree that President Biden and his political allies aren’t up to their necks in this prosecution.”

Stephanopoulos swiftly dismissed Scharf's assertion, pointing out the independence of the Manhattan DA from federal influence. He refused to allow Scharf to continue with his claims, stating firmly, "There's no evidence here of that sir. ... I'm not going to let you continue to say that — there's zero evidence of that."

Stephanopoulos pressed Scharf to address questions about the upcoming sentencing, scheduled for July 11, rather than diverting attention to allegations of political interference.

Scharf, however, persisted in linking the prosecution to Biden and his allies, emphasizing that the case should have never been brought and criticizing the trial's conduct.

"This has nothing to do with President Biden," he said. "Do you want to answer the question about the sentencing process or not?"

"I completely disagree that this has nothing to do with President Biden," Scharf responded. 

"With respect to sentencing, as I said before, we're going to vigorously challenge this case on appeal. I don't think President Trump is going to end up being subject to any sentence whatsoever."

"But I think when you look at the totality of the circumstances in this case, this is a prosecution that should have never been brought. This was a case tried in front of a judge that clearly should have recused." 

Will Scharf remains defiant in belief of Donald Trump's vindication

Despite Stephanopoulos's attempts to steer the conversation back to the sentencing process, Scharf reiterated his belief in Trump's eventual vindication on appeal.

"I think we have a lot of fair complaints with the way this trial was conducted and I think ultimately, President Trump will be vindicated on appeal." 

The discussion also touched upon Trump's other pending criminal cases, including allegations related to the 2020 election. Trump has consistently denied any wrongdoing, dismissing the charges as part of a Democratic conspiracy.

He expressed skepticism about the public's reaction to the possibility of his incarceration, suggesting that it might reach a breaking point. The ex-president and current Republican White House hopeful stated in an interview with Fox News on Sunday, "I'm not sure the public would stand for it. I think it'd be tough for the public to take. You know, at a certain point, there's a breaking point."

Trump's camp remains passive amid conviction fallout

However, Trump's camp has not actively mobilized supporters in response to his conviction, opting instead to focus on fundraising efforts. Lara Trump, Republic National Committee Co-Chair, urged supporters to remain calm and express their discontent at the ballot box.

She told CNN, "There's nothing to do other than make your voices heard loud and clear and speak out against this."

According to the Daily Mail, Trump's conviction has stirred political discourse, but unlike previous instances, it has not led to widespread mobilization among his supporters.

In contrast to his vocal protests following the 2020 election, which culminated in the storming of the US Capitol on January 6, 2021, Trump has taken a more subdued approach to his legal challenges. While he continues to contest the charges against him, his response has been largely confined to legal avenues rather than street protests.

Public reaction to Stephanopoulos-Scharf exchange

Social media erupted with commentary following the intense exchange between George Stephanopoulos and Will Scharf on ABC's 'This Week'. Users took to Twitter to express their opinions, with a range of reactions reflecting the diversity of viewpoints.

One user said, "Loving the new George Stephanopoulos..."

One user added, "Ouch. Dude brought receipts."

Another wrote, "It's only a coincidence. No collusion between Bragg and Biden."

One user commented, "Too close to the truth?"

One user added, "Scharf cited evidence and Stephanopoulis looked like a deer caught in headlights."

Another replied, "We need more of this! Call out false claims rather than amplify them!."

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