Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid excoriated Donald Trump in a call with reporters on Thursday, accusing the Republican presidential nominee of destroying Atlantic City with his business dealings, and blasting the Koch brothers for trying to “buy” the Senate.
“He raped and pillaged Atlantic City,” the Nevada senator said bluntly. “Who knows what his tax returns would show?”
Reid’s comments come a day after Trump visited Nevada, mispronouncing the state’s name and bungling a response about the significance of Yucca Mountain. “If you want nuclear waste in Nevada, vote for the Trump-Heck ticket,” Reid said, referring to Nevada Republican Senate candidate Joe Heck.
His remarks also come in light of a New York Times report detailing how Trump claimed a nearly $1 billion loss in his 1995 tax returns, stemming largely from his defunct Atlantic City casinos and airline company. The GOP nominee has not released his tax returns, claiming they are under audit.
Reid, who is pushing hard for Democrats to retake the majority in the upper chamber, also accused Charles and David Koch of “trying to buy the Senate because they know that Hillary [Clinton]’s going to win.” Despite proclaiming that the Democrats will be in the majority come January and Clinton will defeat Trump, Reid warned against over-confidence.
“I’ve told all the Clinton people, don’t be over-confident,” he said, adding of the next presidential debate on Sunday: “I’m sure Donald is now on his way someplace else, doing anything but preparing for the debate.”
The Trump campaign did not immediately respond to The Daily Beast’s request for comment.
—Andrew Desiderio