NYT: Jared Kushner Calls Democrats 'Crazy' For 'Defending Baltimore', Citing Trump's Twitter Attacks On City, Rep. Cummings
BALTIMORE (WJZ) — In the recently revealed interviews between President Donald Trump, his son-in-law Jared Kushner reported by journalist Bob Woodward, Baltimore managed to come up in conversation- again.
The interviews will appear in Woodward's latest book, "Rage."
The New York Times reports that in a conversation with an associate, Kushner brought up last years' Twitter attacks on Baltimore.
He describes his father-in-law as good at getting people to react to their own detriment, "gleefully citing the defense that Democrats issued of the late Rep. Elijah Cummings, of Baltimore, Maryland, and his city- after the president attacked Cummings last year,"
"The Democrats are so crazy, they're basically defending Baltimore," said Mr. Kushner. "When you get to the next election, he's tied them to all these stupid positions because they'd rather attack him than actually be rational.
You can read the full NYT report on Woodward's new book here.
President Trump first lashed out at the late congressman and the city of Baltimore in a series of tweets last July, calling the city a "rat and rodent-infested mess."
It turned out his son-in-law's company owns and operates many properties in the Baltimore County area.
Since 2017 up until July 2019, there had been 164 complaints at those properties, resulting in 56 correction notices and citations of a proposed $13,200 in fines, according to T.J. Smith who was Baltimore County spokesman at the time.
All of these were for livability issues in the Kushner-owned properties, including mold, insect infestations, mice, rats, window or door leaks, inadequate air conditioning or heat.
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Just last week, the president called Baltimore "the worst in nation," urging voters to back Republican candidate for Maryland's 7th congressional district, Kim Klacik.
Rep. Kweisi Mfume, who took Cummings' seat left empty after Cumming's death, replied in defense of the city.
"Donald Trump and my opponent are two of a kind. They love each other, but more importantly they deserve each other. Mr. Trump will soon find out that he can't tell the people of Baltimore City, Baltimore County or Howard County how to vote, or who to vote for. Instead of Baltimore bashing how about showing a little leadership in the middle of a pandemic Mr. President… Now tweet that!" Mfume said.
