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Clinton Assails Trump on Economy in Ohio

(CN) - Hillary Clinton on Tuesday warned the "reckless" approach Donald Trump has displayed in business and his presidential campaign would quickly mire the U.S. economy in recession if he is elected.

Clinton delivered her sharp rebuke of her Republican rival in Ohio, a key battleground state in the upcoming general election.

"Every day we see how reckless and careless Trump is. He's proud of it," the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee said during a 45-minute speech in Columbus, Ohio.

"Well, that's his choice. Except when he's asking to be our president. Then it's our choice," she said.

As she has in the past, Clinton assailed Trump on everything from his temperament to Trump University to his business practices.

"He's been involved in more than 3,500 lawsuits in the past 30 years. And a large number were filed by ordinary Americans and small businesses that did work for Trump and never got paid — painters, waiters, plumbers — people who needed the money, and didn't get it — not because he couldn't pay them, but because he could stiff them," she said.

"Sometimes he offered them 30 cents on the dollar for projects they had already completed. Hundreds of liens have been filed against him by contractors, going back decades. And they all tell a similar story: I worked for him, I did my job, he wouldn't pay me what he owed me," Clinton said.

Clinton used Trump's own statements to undercut his economic credentials, citing remarks he made that that U.S. could sell off assets, default on its debt and that wages are too high.

Clinton said financial markets often "rise and fall" on comments by presidential candidates. Suggesting the United States could default on its debt could cause a "global panic," she said.

"Just like he shouldn't have his finger on the button, he shouldn't have his hands on our economy," Clinton added.

Throughout her speech before an appreciative crowd, Clinton hit her Republican rival with frequent jabs and one-liners.

"He's written a lot of books about business. But they all seem to end at Chapter 11," she said at one point, referring to his string of best-selling business books.

Trump, whose campaign spent much of the day attacking Clinton via press release, opened up on her shortly after her speech concluded, by tweeting "How can Hillary run the economy when she can't even send emails without putting entire nation at risk?"

But Clinton had the upper hand in Ohio on Tuesday where her message appeared to resonate with moderate, working class voters.

Next up for Clinton is a speech on Wednesday in Raleigh, North Carolina, where she is expected to talk about her "ambitious new goals" for the economy.

Photo caption:

Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton speaks about the economy, Tuesday, June 21, 2016, at Fort Hayes Vocational School in Columbus, Ohio. (AP Photo/Jay LaPrete)

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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