WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden’s campaign is spending $50 million through the end of June, including the first television ad highlighting the court ruling against Donald Trump, a sign that the Democratic president is willing to turn legal problems of his Republican opponent on an issue ahead of the elections.
The advertising campaign comes when the elections are still months away. But the Biden campaign says it wants to more clearly define the contrast between the two candidates ahead of her first debate, to be held in Atlanta on June 27.
The campaign includes more than $1 million for media outlets targeting Black, Hispanic and Asian Americans, and an ad highlighting Trump’s guilty verdict on 34 counts related to a scheme to suppress unfavorable news stories. The announcement will be broadcast on television, streaming and cell phones in battleground states as well as on national cable channels.
In addition to that ruling against Trump, the message – with the title “Character Matters” – recalls that the former president was also held responsible for sexual assault and financial fraud in other cases. Trump also faces criminal charges in three other cases, although none of them will likely go to trial before the November election.
“In court, we saw the real Donald Trump,” says the ad’s narrator. About Trump’s mugshot and images of Biden greeting supporters, the voice adds: “This election is between a convicted criminal who only cares about himself and a president who fights for your family.”
Biden has frequently spoken about the court ruling against Trump, while criticizing the former president for saying the case is politically motivated. “It is reckless, dangerous and irresponsible for anyone to say this was rigged for the simple fact that they don’t like the verdict,” Biden said.
Biden’s son, Hunter, was convicted last week in Delaware of three criminal charges related to the purchase of a gun, based on accusations that he lied about his drug use when filling out the form to buy it. The president has said he accepts the ruling and “will continue to respect the judicial process as Hunter considers an appeal.”
A central part of Biden’s re-election strategy is also to highlight Trump’s proposals for a second term, with the aim of encouraging disillusioned Democrats and independents. Still, including the ruling against Trump in such a costly messaging campaign signals a renewed effort to make Trump’s legal troubles an election issue in a way that Biden’s team previously resisted.
