OPINION: This article may contain commentary which reflects the author's opinion.
It did not take long for President Joe Biden to make a statement after former President Donald Trump was found guilty by a jury in his Manhattan “hush money” trial.
“There’s only one way to keep Donald Trump out of the Oval Office: At the ballot box,” Biden wrote on social media, linking to a fundraising page.
“The threat Trump poses to our democracy has never been greater. He is running an increasingly unhinged campaign of revenge and retribution. A second Trump term means chaos, ripping away Americans’ freedoms and fomenting political violence – and the American people will reject it this November,” Biden’s campaign added.
The jury found Trump guilty on all 34 counts. The judge has scheduled a sentencing hearing for July 11.
JUST IN: The Biden-Harris campaign just released this statement regarding the guilty verdict in President Trump’s trial today.
The trial was overseen by Judge Juan Merchan, whose daughter is Loren Merchan. The Biden-Harris campaign is a client of Loren Merchan at her company,… pic.twitter.com/LSJ0Hib8NB
— Laura Loomer (@LauraLoomer) May 30, 2024
Trump criticized the prosecution in his New York hush money criminal trial as a “disgrace” and pointed to this fall’s presidential election.
“The real verdict is going to be November 5 by the people. And they know what happened here, and everybody knows what happened here,” Trump told reporters outside the Manhattan courtroom.
House Speaker Mike Johnson decried what he described as “the weaponization of our justice system,” saying in a statement, “President Trump will rightfully appeal this absurd verdict — and he WILL WIN.”
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell said in a short statement: “These charges never should have been brought in the first place. I expect the conviction to be overturned on appeal.”
House Majority Leader Steve Scalise wrote on X: “I won’t stand by while the leader of our party is ambushed by our own government. Will you stand with Trump before midnight tonight and condemn this witch hunt once and for all?” The Louisiana Republican included a link to a fundraising site.
New York Rep. Elise Stefanik, the House GOP Conference chair and a potential Trump running mate pick, slammed what she referred to as a “sham trial.”
“We must redouble our efforts and work around the clock to ensure President Trump is victorious this November to save America from Biden’s failed Far Left Democrat agenda,” she said in a statement.
South Carolina Senator Tim Scott, a potential Trump running mate, claimed on Thursday that the US justice system “targets Republicans while favoring Democrats.”
“This was certainly a hoax, a sham. This was devastating for the average American watching,” Scott told CNN’s Abby Phillip. “Even the ‘Never-Trumpers’ are now calling and joining the team. Donors who sat on the sidelines are now joining the team because November 5th is a day of reckoning.”
Tim Sheehy, who is challenging Democratic Sen. Jon Tester in Montana, issued a statement declaring the verdict “RIGGED” and called the case “state-sponsored political persecution.”
Kari Lake, the Republican poised to face Democratic Rep. Ruben Gallego in Arizona’s Senate race, said Americans had “just witnessed the most egregious example of election interference and an outright mockery of the rule of law in the 246-year history of our Republic. This entire process right down to the verdict itself has been nothing but a shameful political stunt.”
“This is a terrible day for America and for trust in our justice system,” said Pennsylvania Republican Dave McCormick, who is challenging Democratic Sen. Bob Casey. “This case should never have been brought in the first place, and this miscarriage of justice is despicable.”
Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who learned of the verdict while speaking with reporters ahead of his appearance at a cryptocurrency convention in Austin, Texas, dismissed the importance of the case.
“I’ve been disciplined about not commenting on the court cases and talking about issues that I think are of deep concern to Americans, and not the issues that, you know, are being used to divide us, the culture war issues. I’m not going to comment on it,” Kennedy said.
