Donald Trump bragged about his endorsement by Mike Tyson, but did so in Indianapolis, where the former heavyweight champion was convicted of rape.
“Mike Tyson endorsed me,” Trump told the crowd Wednesday night, according to The Indianapolis Star. “I love it. He sent out a tweet. Mike. Iron Mike. You know, all the tough guys endorse me. I like that, OK?”
The Republican presidential front-runner added, “But Mike said, ‘I love Trump. I endorse Trump.’ And that’s the end. I’m sure he doesn’t know about your economic situation in Indiana. But when I get endorsed by the tough ones, I like it, because you know what? We need toughness now. We need toughness.”
Tyson was convicted of raping beauty pageant contestant Desiree Washington in 1992, for which he served three years in prison. Trump supported him then too, as first reported by Buzzfeed.
“You have a young woman that was in his hotel room late in the evening at her own will,” Trump said in an NBC Nightly News video from 1992. “It’s my opinion that to a large extent, Mike Tyson was railroaded in this case.”
Indianapolis radio show host Greg Garrison was not pleased with Trump’s Wednesday comments. Garrison, who was also the prosecutor in the Tyson case, laid into Trump on his Thursday morning show.
“Mr. Trump, tough is one thing, a serial rapist is quite something else,” Garrison said, describing some details of the case. “I’ve been thinking about this all night. Kept me up. You know how I feel about this election stuff. I don’t want to throw rocks at anybody. I have my differences with Mr. Trump. I got a couple with Mr. Cruz. But this is where I want you to listen to me with both of your ears open… I would ask Mr. Trump if I got to talk to him, you’ve raised daughters. I’m sure you didn’t have a daughter that didn’t do something improvident at some point or son for that matter.”
Indianapolis holds its crucial primary Tuesday.
Listen to Garrison’s comments here.
