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The co-hosts of ABC’s left-wing “The View” program are in hot water again after some of them made observations about former President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump.
The comments came in relation to a discussion about potential criminal charges against the 45th president. He is facing a possible indictment next week from Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg for alleged campaign finance violations over hush-money payments to porn star Stormy Daniels.
After co-host Whoopie Goldberg played a clip of a Trump lawyer explaining to ABC News’s George Stephanopoulos why the payments should not be considered violations of campaign finance laws, the rest of the panel joined in to talk about it.
At one point, Joy Behar asked: “Why is Melania still there [with Trump]? I’m wondering about that.”
“I’m sure she gets… never mind,” co-host Sara Haines responded.
“There have been allegations,” said another co-host before the panel began talking over each other.
Haines then went on to explain her remark. “There could be monies in exchange. Deals made,” she said, appearing to suggest that Melania was staying in the marriage because it was financially beneficial for her to do so.
Several people took to social media to rip the hosts and the implication.
“How has this show not been ended? Every single one of these liberal hacks should be fired,” said the Patriot Alerts Twitter account.
How has this show not been ended? Every single one of these liberal hacks should be fired.
— Patriot Alerts (@alerts___) March 18, 2023
“Bunch of evil women,” wrote another, adding several puking emojis.
“Shut this vile insensitive joke of a show,” still another user noted.
Several law enforcement agencies are reportedly preparing for a potential indictment of former President Donald Trump as early as next week, as Bragg’s office “asked for a meeting” with those agencies, according to a Sunday report.
“The agencies preparing are the NYPD, New York State Court Officers, the U.S. Secret Service, the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force and the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office,” the Western Journal reported, citing NBC News.
Another potential 2024 Republican presidential contender has called on Trump to drop out of the race if he is indicted on one or more charges stemming from the payments to Daniels.
Former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson told The Guardian: “It doesn’t mean that he’s guilty of it or he should be charged. But it’s just such a distraction that would be unnecessary for somebody who’s seeking the highest office in the land.”
In 2018, adult film actress Daniels alleged that she had an affair with Trump in 2006. She claimed that Trump’s then-personal lawyer, Michael Cohen, paid her $130,000 in hush money during the 2016 presidential campaign to keep quiet about the affair.
Trump initially denied any knowledge of the payment, but later admitted to reimbursing Cohen for the settlement. The payment was seen by many as an attempt to influence the outcome of the election and a violation of campaign finance laws. The incident sparked a series of legal battles and investigations, ultimately leading to Cohen’s conviction for campaign finance violations and other crimes.
Hutchinson has yet to announce his candidacy. Currently, Nikki Haley, a former South Carolina governor, and Trump’s UN ambassador, has announced she is running for the GOP presidential nomination, as has tech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy. Ron DeSantis, the governor of Florida, has not declared yet, but he is expect to and is the only contender in polling who poses a significant challenge to Trump.
Trump has vehemently denied any involvement with Daniels; Cohen testified before a grand jury in New York City last week.
“My goal is to tell the truth,” Cohen told reporters outside the courthouse, according to the AP.
“This is not revenge,” he added. “This is all about accountability. He needs to be held accountable for his dirty deeds.”
The Guardian added:
Trump has also been invited to testify, a sign an indictment is near. The Manhattan district attorney, Alvin Bragg, is reported to be preparing to criminally charge Trump for false accounting business records with an intent to defraud, in relation to New York election law.
Mark Pomerantz, a prosecutor who quit Bragg’s team, recently called the Daniels payment a “zombie case” that would not die.
But David Shapiro, a former FBI agent who now lectures at John Jay College of Criminal Justice, told the Associated Press it could be “especially difficult” for Bragg to prove intent and knowledge of wrongdoing.
