Editor's note: Developing.
A Manhattan jury has found former President Donald Trump guilty of falsifying business records related to paying "hush money" to porn star Stormy Daniels.
The jurors returned a guilty verdict for all 34 felony charges after taking two days to deliberate. A sentencing hearing has been set for July 11.
Trump said shortly after the verdict was announced that "the real verdict is going to be on November 5th by the people.”
Other Republicans immediately reacted with outrage at the verdict, which even some left-leaning commentators have opposed.
“It’s a very dark day in American history,” U.S. Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Auburn) said in a statement. “This ‘trial’ was a political witch hunt from the start. The fact that the Biden campaign staged a press conference outside the court tells you everything you need to know."
“Liberal activist Alvin Bragg and Biden-donor Judge Merchan had a shared goal: to put President Trump behind bars," he continued. "Whether you consider the lopsided jury, the gag order issued to silence only President Trump, the prosecution’s failure to outline the alleged underlying crimes, or the lack of a unanimous verdict required for conviction, this trial was a complete joke and a massive misuse of taxpayer dollars.
“This is pure election interference and the American people will see through it. We can’t have a two-tier justice system. If we don’t return to our Constitution, which guarantees every U.S. citizen the right to free speech and the right to a fair trial by an impartial jury, we are no better than Venezuela or communist China.”
U.S. Sen. Kaite Britt (R-Montgomery) echoed Trump's statement that "the real verdict will come on November 5."
"Today is a sad and shameful day," Britt posted on X. "Democrats just set the dangerous, destructive precedent of the party in power weaponizing prosecutorial powers against their political adversary. This is a hallmark of a banana republic, not a constitutional republic. Make no mistake—Americans won’t tolerate a two-tiered system of justice, and the real verdict will come on November 5."
Others in Alabama’s federal delegation shared Tuberville’s disgust with the verdict, the New York judicial system and the Biden administration.
“Crooked Joe Biden has used the justice system for his own political gain by orchestrating this WITCH HUNT against President Trump,” U.S. Rep. Mike Rogers (R-Saks) posted on X. “There is no place for these Soviet-style tactics of arresting and convicting political opponents in our nation — and they won't stop here.”
U.S. Rep. Robert Aderholt (R-Haleyville) said, “Trump Verdict: The prosecutors in this case, with I believe help from the bench, had to take the law and make origami out of it to try and get the verdict they wanted. This was not about justice. This was about politics. This will be overturned on appeal. ABSOLUTELY NO DOUBT.”
U.S. Rep. Barry Moore (R-Enterprise) said it was a “sad day in America,” and both he and U.S. Rep. Dale Strong (R-Huntsville) decried the “obvious weaponization” of the judicial system.
“This will go down in history as a sad day for America. This verdict is a travesty of justice in a kangaroo court, and it proves Joe Biden's sole focus is not to help the American people, but instead to weaponize against his political opponents to help his reelection during a failing administration.
“Americans will be outraged by this obvious weaponization, because they now know that anyone can be targeted. They deserve better than a President who convicts his opponent because he's too afraid to face him at the ballot box.”
Less than an hour before the verdict came in, Moore posted on X an image of the Pine Tree flag, better known as the "An Appeal to Heaven Flag." The flag was used during the American Revolutionary War and still serves as a symbol of freedom.
U.S. Rep. Jerry Carl (R-Mobile) predicted that the verdict in the "sham trial" would result in a landslide of Trump votes in the November General Election.
"Today’s trial results prove we have a two-tiered justice system in this country, and Democrats will stop at nothing to go after Donald Trump. This was a sham trial from the beginning," he said on X. "Its only purpose was to prevent Trump from being on the campaign trail and to distract from Biden’s massive failures. The American people can see through this, and we will show up in record numbers on November 5th to get even with the Democrats and re-elect Donald Trump."
Alabama Secretary of State Wes Allen said he was hopeful the verdict would easily be overturned on appeal.
"Today’s verdict is a perfect example of why our judicial system has an appeals process in place," Allen said. "It is a fail-safe for every American citizen against errors made in the court system. Every citizen has a right to a fair appeal and President Trump’s appeals case should be a slam dunk for any unbiased and fair appellate court. It is obvious to anyone paying attention that today’s verdict is a travesty of justice. This verdict will not stand!"
Alabama GOP Chairman John Wahl said he and the party stand firmly behind Trump and that the left's efforts to politically prosecute him "threatens the very foundations of our democratic system."
Attorney General Steve Marshall said the outcome of the "hoax" trial was determined before it even began.
To connect with the story's author or comment, email daniel.taylor@1819news.com or find him on Twitter and Facebook.
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