Republican presidential hopeful Donald Trump promised that “judgment” was coming to Hillary Clinton during a rally at the Open Door Christian Academy in Lisbon on Friday. The rally, before roughly 1,500 people, was Trump’s fifth visit to Maine.
Trump’s promise came shortly after news broke that the FBI is reviewing new emails related to Clinton’s private server, an issue that has dogged the former secretary of state throughout her candidacy. The FBI announcement provided a new opportunity for Trump to assail Clinton’s judgment and to reiterate his claim that she’s unfit for the presidency.
“This is the biggest scandal since Watergate,” Trump said, adding that Clinton’s “judgment is coming.”
In a statement, Clinton’s campaign manager John Podesta called on FBI Director James Comey to further explain his decision. Podesta said media outlets and Trump have characterized the FBI’s decision as reopening the case, “but his words do not match that characterization.”
The TV personality and real estate mogul hit familiar notes during his speech. He promised to return Maine manufacturing jobs, vet immigrants, defeat the Islamic State and make America “a rich country again.”
At one point he asked the crowd how many people worked in a shoe factory. A man yelled, “They’re all gone!”
“I’ll bring them back. How’s that?” Trump responded.
The loudest cheers came when he reiterated his promise to build a wall on the Mexican border. He paired this promise with a vow to end the heroin epidemic, an issue familiar to Mainers.
“We’re going to stop that crap from coming into our country,” he said.
Trump’s visit comes as he attempts to regain his footing after nearly a month of bad news and with 11 days left before the election. The setbacks included the revelation that he lost nearly $1 billion in 1995 and was able to exploit a loophole that allowed him to avoid paying federal income tax for nearly two decades. Trump has not denied that he took advantage of the loophole and has suggested it was wise to do so.
Trump was also hit by the leak of an audio tape in which bragged about groping women and using his celebrity to force himself upon them. That leak was followed by allegations by nearly a dozen women that Trump has sexually assaulted them.
Trump has called his accusers liars and in some instances suggested they weren’t attractive enough to draw his advances.
Trump’s stop also comes as he attempts to swipe at least one of Maine’s four electoral votes. Most recent polls show Clinton winning statewide, but trailing in Maine’s rural conservative 2nd Congressional District.
Additionally, polling averages published by Real Clear Politics showed Clinton leading in the majority of swing states this week. Some models plotting Trump’s path to victory do include Maine’s 2nd District, but only if he wins larger swing states.
Attendees braved pouring rain and windy conditions to attend the rally. Pastor David Garnett of the Open Door Church said Trump’s visit to the small town of 9,000 residents was divine intervention.
“Only God could have done something like this. This is the providence of God. Something bigger than you and I could have put this all together,” he said.
Garnett went on to say Trump would give the crowd its country back.
Trump promised to deliver and finished his speech by blasting the political establishment.
“It’s like we’re stuck in a time warp. We keep electing the same bad people and nothing changes,” he said.
