Advertisement
Advertisement
Donald Trump
Get more with myNEWS
A personalised news feed of stories that matter to you
Learn more
George Soros at a meeting of the World Bank and IMP in Washington on October 5, 2018. Photo: AFP

Donald Trump: says Kavanaugh protesters financed by billionaire George Soros

US president accuses liberal financier and others of trying to influence vote for his Supreme Court nominee

Donald Trump

US President Donald Trump on Friday accused protesters massing in Washington against the nomination of Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court of being “paid professionals” funded by billionaire investor and liberal donor George Soros.

“The very rude elevator screamers are paid professionals only looking to make Senators look bad. Don’t fall for it!” Trump said on Twitter. “Also, look at all of the professionally made identical signs. Paid for by Soros and others. These are not signs made in the basement from love! #Troublemakers.”

The Senate was due Friday to vote on moving ahead with the nomination of Kavanaugh to the highest court in the US, as Republicans brushed aside complaints by Democrats that an FBI investigation into sexual assault allegations against him was rushed and incomplete.

A final vote could come on Saturday on Trump’s embattled nominee, who if approved would seal a conservative majority on the nine-seat court for decades.

Protesters in the Senate’s Hart building in Washington on Saturday. Photo: AFP

On Thursday protesters swamped Capitol Hill and roamed the corridors of the Senate to lobby lawmakers who took turns in a secure basement room reviewing a single copy of the new FBI report on Kavanaugh.

More than 300 people were arrested at the protests, including the comedian Amy Schumer, who is a second cousin of Senate Democrat leader Chuck Schumer, and model Emily Ratajkowski.

US comedian Amy Schumer (centre) and US actress Emily Ratajkowski (right) gesture after getting detained along with hundreds of other protesters against the confirmation of Supreme Court nominee Judge Brett Kavanaugh at the Hart building in Washington, on Saturday. Photo: EPA

US-Hungarian business magnate Soros was a supporter of Trump’s Democratic rival Hillary Clinton during the 2016 presidential election campaign.

Listed by Forbes magazine as one of the world’s richest men, he is accused by nationalists around the world of sponsoring protests and seeking to push a liberal, multicultural agenda.

Protesters unfurl a sign as they occupy the Hart building during a rally against Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh in Washington on Friday. Photo: AFP

In 1992, the Wall Street trader became known as “the man who broke the Bank of England” when his aggressive speculation against the sterling sent it crashing out of the European exchange mechanism.

He was also partly blamed for the Asian financial crisis in 1997.

In France in 2006 he was convicted of insider trading. His appeal was rejected in 2011.

Post