Local and state pols react to Trump verdict

Guilty on all counts

The conviction of former President Donald J. Trump on all 34 felony counts of falsifying business records in a Manhattan courtroom Thursday brought rebuke from local and state Republicans who saw the jury’s decision as political.

Trump, who said he is innocent, called the proceedings "a rigged, disgraceful trial" when talking to reporters following the verdict.

“The real verdict is going to be Nov. 5 by the people,” he said.

"I'm a very innocent man," Trump said. "This was done by the Biden administration in order to wound or hurt a political opponent.”

Trump called the verdict a rigged decision with a conflicted judge.

"We'll fight until the end and we’ll win," he said.

The trial began in mid-April, marking the first time a former U.S. president has been on trial for criminal charges.

Trump, who is the presumptive GOP presidential nominee for the ballot in this November, was on trial to determine if he falsified business records to cover up a "hush money" payment back in 2016 to keep quiet an alleged sexual encounter with adult film actress, Storm Daniels. Trump denied the allegations. The case also involved allegations that Trump made payments to keep quiet another alleged affair with former Playboy model Karen McDougal.

The Republican Party of Florida had endorsed Trump as its nominee for president in the upcoming election Nov. 5 as Trump seeks to regain the presidency he lost to President Joe Biden in the 2020 election.

The indictment was brought by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg and case was overseen by Judge Juan Merchan. Both men faced criticism from Republicans.

Congressman Byron Donalds, R-19, whose district includes Cape Coral and most of Lee County, had gone to the courthouse during the trial to support Trump.

“Hollywood could never write a script like this,” Donalds said in response to the verdict. “To the American people: We have to be serious about what country we want to be. The Democrats have weaponized our justice system.”

U.S. Senator Marco Rubio, R-FL, said “What happened today in America is similar to what I grew up hearing about happening in Cuba.”

Rubio called the verdict “an ugly blemish to our reputation around the world.”

“If the far left can go after a former president on a ridiculous charge, they can go after any American,” Rubio posted on X (formerly Twitter).

U.S. Senator Rick Scott, R-FL, said “This sham trial was about influencing our presidential election on behalf of Joe Biden plain and simple, they've made that absolutely clear.”

Gov. Ron DeSantis put out a lengthy statement describing the prosecution as that of a political agenda in a “kangaroo court.”

“Today's verdict represents the culmination of a legal process that has been bent to the political will of the actors involved: a leftist prosecutor, a partisan judge and a jury reflective of one of the most liberal enclaves in America--all in an effort to ‘get’ Donald Trump,” DeSantis said. “That this case--involving alleged misdemeanor business records violations from nearly a decade ago--was even brought is a testament to the political debasement of the justice system in places like New York City. This is especially true considering this same district attorney routinely excuses criminal conduct in a way that has endangered law-abiding citizens in his jurisdiction. It is often said that no one is above the law, but it is also true that no one is below the law. If the defendant were not Donald Trump, this case would never have been brought, the judge would have never issued similar rulings, and the jury would have never returned a guilty verdict. In America, the rule of law should be applied in a dispassionate, even-handed manner, not become captive to the political agenda of some kangaroo court.”

Florida Republican Party Chairman Evan Power called the prosecution a “witch hunt.”

“From a corrupt District Attorney to a rigged judge making a mockery of our judicial system, President Trump’s guilty verdict comes as no surprise,” Power said. “Trump Derangement Syndrome was alive and well in that New York courtroom, but here in the real world, Donald Trump’s support only grows stronger.”

Power said the conviction of Trump wouldn’t impact the outcome in November’s presidential race and said the charges amounted to election interference.

Donalds called the verdict “a disaster for New York City, the State of New York and our nation. People will see this political prosecution for what it is. Remember this in November.”

Trump's sentencing is set for July 11 at 10 a.m. After his sentencing, Trump can appeal his conviction.