Trump knocks ‘lightweight’ Minneapolis mayor ahead of rally

President Trump attacked Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey (D) on Twitter Tuesday morning after his campaign claimed the city assessed a $530,000 security fee for the president’s planned rally on Thursday.

“The lightweight mayor is hurting the great police and other wonderful supporters. 72,000 ticket requests already. Dump Frey and Omar!” Trump tweeted Tuesday morning, referencing a frequent Trump target, Minneapolis-area Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.).

The lightweight mayor is hurting the great police and other wonderful supporters. 72,000 ticket requests already. Dump Frey and Omar! Make America Great Again! https://t.co/ibTqvSbsbn

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 8, 2019

{mosads}Campaign manager Brad Parscale on Monday tweeted a press release accusing Frey of “abusing the power of his office and attempting to extort President Trump’s re-election campaign” with the “phony and outlandish bill.”

Numerous municipalities that were the site of Trump campaign rallies have accused the campaign of failing to pay their security bills for the events.

A report in June by the Center for Public Integrity (CPI) found that 10 cities, including Green Bay, Wis.; Mesa, Ariz.; and Erie, Pa., all claim Trump’s campaign committee never reimbursed them for public safety costs associated with the rallies, some of them dating back to before his election in 2016.

“When one considers how much money campaigns raise and spend, it does not seem unreasonable to expect some degree of reimbursement for such demands for service,” Richard Myers, executive director of the Major Cities Chiefs Association, which represents sheriffs and police chiefs around the country, told CPI.