A jury of 12 New Yorkers found former President Donald Trump guilty on all 34 counts in the “hush money” trial in Manhattan, Thursday afternoon, agreeing that he violated the law by falsifying business records to cover up a $130,000 payment to adult film star Stormy Daniels ahead of the 2016 election.
The jury sided with prosecutors who said that Trump authorized the plan to falsify checks and related records in an effort to prevent voters from learning of an alleged sexual encounter with Daniels. Prosecutors for Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg said the conspiracy spanned his 2016 campaign and continued well into his first year in the White House. Trump denied having sex with Daniels and pleaded not guilty.
Donald Trump, popular opposition leader, presumptive Republican nominee for president and current frontrunner is now a convicted felon.
“Such bullshit,” commented Donald Trump Jr. on X following the verdict.
“The Democrats have succeeded in their years long attempt to turn America into a third-world shithole. November 5 is our last chance to save it,” Don Jr. wrote in a subsequent post.
In a statement posted onto social media, House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) decried the allegedly rigged process, calling it it a “political exercise.”
“Today is a shameful day in American history. Democrats cheered as they convicted the leader of the opposing party on ridiculous charges, predicated on the testimony of a disbarred, convicted felon,” Johnson said. “This was a purely political exercise, not a legal one.”
The weaponization of our justice system has been a hallmark of the Biden Administration, and the decision today is further evidence that Democrats will stop at nothing to silence dissent and crush their political opponents.
The American people see this as lawfare, and they know it is wrong—and dangerous. President Trump will rightfully appeal this absurd verdict—and he WILL WIN!
George Washington Law Professor Jonathan Turley, who covered the trial from the courtroom, also shared his thoughts on the verdict on X:
“I obviously disagree with this verdict as do many others,” Turley wrote. “I believe that the case will be reversed eventually either in the state or federal systems. However, this was the worst expectation for a trial in Manhattan. I am saddened by the result more for the New York legal system than the former president. I had hoped that the jurors might redeem the integrity of a system that has been used for political purposes.”
Earlier on Truth Social the former president raged about what he complained had been an “unfair,” “unconstitutional” “witch hunt.”
“The Jury Instructions given by HIGHLY CONFLICTED Judge, Juan Merchan, were UNFAIR, MISLEADING, INACCURATE, AND UNCONSTITUTIONAL,” Trump wrote. “They were also VERY CONFUSING (Just what the Judge wanted!), BECAUSE THERE WAS NO CRIME!”
He continued in a subsequent post: “Not only did this HIGHLY CONFLICTED, BIASED Judge, Juan Merchan, prevent me from presenting the fact that I did not take a Tax Deduction on the Legal Expense (which was marked, correctly, as a Legal Expense), the Judge also did not allow my lawyers to get Tax Records from the former attorney, whose name I am not allowed to mention due to the Unconstitutional Gag Order imposed upon me. ELECTION INTERFERENCE! WITCH HUNT!”
He concluded: “MY CIVIL RIGHTS HAVE BEEN TOTALLY VIOLATED WITH THIS HIGHLY POLITICAL, UNCONSTITUTIONAL, AND ELECTION INTERFERING WITCH HUNT. OUR FAILING NATION IS BEING LAUGHED AT ALL OVER THE WORLD!”