Trump: The media are ‘almost as crooked as Hillary\

Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump went after the media again today — arguing that his Democratic opponent would be "nothing" without the media's help.

"They're the most crooked — they're almost as crooked as [Democratic nominee] Hillary [Clinton], they may even be more crooked than Hillary," he said at a campaign rally in Saint Augustine, Florida. "Because without the media, she would be nothing. Without the media, Hillary Clinton would be nothing. They're disgraceful."

As Trump gestured to the media pen, the crowd booed.

Without the media's "dishonesty and deceit," Clinton wouldn't be able to rig the political system in her favor, Trump added.

"Here's how all of this affects you," he said. "When the people who control the political power in our society can rig investigations — like her investigation was rigged — can rig polls — you see these phony polls — and rig the media, they can wield absolute power over your life, your economy and your country, and benefit big-time by it."

This weekend, Trump restated his support for toughening libel laws in the U.S., so that journalists could be more harshly punished for publishing information that is "wrong."