Donald Trump became the first former president to be convicted of felony crimes Thursday as a New York jury found him guilty of falsifying business records in a scheme to illegally influence the 2016 election through hush money payments to a porn actor who said the two had sex.
Jurors deliberated for 9.5 hours over two days before convicting Trump of all 34 counts he faced. Trump sat stone-faced as the verdict was being read, while cheering from the street below — where supporters and detractors of the former president were gathered — could be heard in the hallway on the 15th floor of the courthouse.
Several politicians representing East Tennesseans reacted to the verdict with statements on social media.
Governor Bill Lee called the verdict a “political attack,” adding that a “politicized justice system does nothing to serve the American people.”
Lieutenant Governor Randy McNally said it was a “politically motivated prosecution” and that it “is a sad day for our nation.”
Senator Marsha Blackburn released a lengthy statement, calling the verdict in part “an undemocratic and un-American weaponization of our justice system against Trump.”
Senator Bill Hagerty released a statement, calling the verdict “an outright witch-hunt” for Donald Trump.
Representative Tim Burchett said he was disappointed in the verdict, adding that “this is not the America we once knew.”
Representative Scott DesJarlais also released a statement in which he referred to the verdict as “political warfare.”
Representative Chuck Fleischmann called the verdict “the foreordained outcome of a biased and politically motivated prosecution against President Trump that should have never been brought to trial to begin with.”
Representative Jeremy Faison also commented on the verdict.
Representative Jason Zachary said he still supports Trump.
Representative David Kustoff referred to it as “a sad say for our democracy” in a statement.
Representative Diana Harshbarger said the verdict was “unjust” in her statement.
Representative Steve Cohen said the verdict shows that nobody is above the law.
Representative Mark Green referred to the trial as “a political stunt” in his statement.
Representative Gloria Johnson said the verdict “affirms that no one is above the rule of law, not even former presidents.”
Representative John Rose said Thursday “will be among the more infamous in American history.”
Representative Ken Yager said the verdict “is a clear weaponization of the DOJ that must come to an end.”
As Trump seeks a return to the White House in this year’s election, the judgment presents voters with another test of their willingness to accept Trump’s boundary-breaking behavior.
Trump is expected to quickly appeal the verdict and will face an awkward dynamic as he seeks to return to the campaign trail as a convicted felon. There are no campaign rallies on the calendar for now, though he’s expected to hold fundraisers next week. Judge Juan Merchan, who oversaw the case, set sentencing for July 11, just days before the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee.
The falsifying business records charges carry up to four years behind bars, though prosecutors have not said whether they intend to seek imprisonment, and it is not clear whether the judge — who earlier in the trial warned of jail time for gag order violations — would impose that punishment even if asked. The conviction, and even imprisonment, will not bar Trump from continuing his pursuit of the White House.
Story courtesy of WVLT – Copyright 2024 WVLT. All rights reserved.
