“This is confirmation of a political vendetta with entirely political timing,” disgraced former prime minister Joseph Muscat declared at his hastily convened press conference.

Poor Joseph. Everybody persecutes him. Everybody picks on him.

Even the Organised Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP) had to choose him as the most corrupt politician of the year. His own party ousted him before he could complete a single full term in office.

The Malta Business Registry shut down Accutor AG, just because it paid Muscat tens of thousands of euros. The American Senate is picking on Steward just because Muscat gave them the concession.

The European Bank withdrew the licence of Pilatus Bank simply because Muscat’s friend owned it. They’re prosecuting Keith Schembri simply because he was Muscat’s right-hand man.

Labour kicked Konrad Mizzi out simply because he was Muscat’s star candidate. They arrested Yorgen Fenech just because Muscat invited him to his birthday party.

Adrian Hillman faces prosecution just because Muscat chose him as his AUM representative.

The US jailed Binance chief, Changpeng Zhao for money-laundering simply because Muscat welcomed him to Malta.

The US State Department banned Schembri and Mizzi from entering the country just because they’re Muscat’s friends and not because of their “significant corruption”.

Please understand Muscat’s done nothing wrong. “Accusations about corruption are untrue,” he insisted. “This is a repetition of Egrant”, “they lied about me and my family”, “with my family, we’ll go through years of martyrdom”.

Muscat plays the victim again. It’s a vendetta, it’s a witch hunt. He’s appropriating the rhetoric of Donald Trump who faces criminal charges relating to hush-money payment to a porn star. He too did nothing wrong. It’s the establishment, it’s Joe Biden, they want to interfere with the political process, the judge hates him. “They’re not coming after me, they’re coming after you - and I’m just standing in their way,” Trump warned.

Muscat echoed: “This is a political vendetta not against me, it’s against the country because its aim is to clog up the government from continuing with its work and to deviate attention from the big issues government is working on.”

“It’s true there are institutions that are working – working against Labour and against everybody who isn’t ready to work hand-in-hand with the establishment which hasn’t yet understood that the people spent the last 20 years rejecting them,” Muscat commented. Ironically, the only thing the people rejected 20 years ago was Labour’s pathetic partnership and Muscat’s even more pathetic efforts to keep Malta out of Europe.

The deeper Muscat’s troubles, the more he plays up his victimhood complex. “I will continue to fight, even alone,” he announced, pleading for pity. “I will persevere even if I am old and using a stick. I have lived with all the criticism and suffered all the blows possible,” he added. “I have in mind the health of a close family member, God knows what my father went through today.”

“True justice will prove me right – and that’s why I am very calm,” Muscat commented. There was nothing calm about Muscat’s raving agitation at that press conference. The calm serene victim spent the entire half-hour attacking the magistrate, concocting conspiracy theories about “the establishment” and issuing wild threats at imaginary individuals “who lied about me and wanted revenge”.

Joseph Muscat is appropriating the rhetoric of Donald Trump who faces criminal charges relating to hush-money payment to a porn star- Kevin Cassar

“I have no trust in the behaviour of the magistrate,” he started off mildly, before swiftly upping the ante. “I have no doubt about the political timing.” “Who is working against Labour,” the reporters asked him. “Can’t you see, the magistrate first and foremost,” he replied, “What I have a problem with is the unlawful and totally political and vindictive way in which the magistrate acted.”

“The magistrate not only acted with political prejudice but she broke the law,” Muscat falsely accused, “whoever broke the law must carry responsibility.” Those words will come back to haunt him.

“What does the magistrate have against you,” Muscat was asked. “Ask her, not me,” came his insolent reply, “I have no idea, I don’t know her.” “So why are you so certain,” the reporter asked. “Because I eat bread through my mouth – don’t ask about people you know,” he retorted rudely, instantly contradicting himself.

The intimidation followed. “I am sending a warning that this time it will be different for those who lied about me… I will continue. I will see that those who tried to gain revenge on me simply because they don’t agree politically with me and try to immobilise the country will answer for it.” “I know who the lawyer and the person who delivered those documents are, I know their names and their surnames,” he threatened, “and they still haven’t faced justice.”

“I will keep going as far as I need to,” he menaced, “and then we’ll see who’s going to pay damages and compensation.”

Muscat isn’t a victim. He’s the biggest bully. Increasingly cornered, he’s lashing out. “I will continue to fight”, “I will win this battle”, “we’re braced for it, we’re coming out fighting”, “bring it on, I’m ready, in the ring, ready to fight.” “When I fight, I win,” was his deluded parting message.

Muscat sells his loyal supporters the illusion that he’s a fighter and a winner. He’s neither. A journalist’s pertinent question at his press conference revealed that Muscat is a chicken and a liar. He falsely claimed that the magistrate refused his testimony. In fact, the magistrate asked Muscat to testify and he refused, claiming “if I had testified, I would have prejudiced my case”.

Muscat knows exactly what he’s done. He’s terrified of what the magistrate’s four years of hard work will reveal. So, he’s out to destroy her with a little help from his poodle and former consultant, Robert Abela. For Muscat, this is about survival. His threats are not just empty words.

Muscat is no victim, there’s no establishment working against him, the magistrate is not politically motivated. We too eat bread through our mouth. We know we’re the real victims of Muscat’s chicanery. So does the AG who’s requested the sequestration of Muscat’s assets.

And so does Madam Justice Edwina Grima who “agrees with the AG that there are enough suspicions” that Muscat is guilty of money laundering. That crime carries a maximum 18-year jail term.

No wonder Muscat’s hysterical.

Kevin Cassar is a professor of surgery.