Reaction to Trump’s conviction from Indiana leaders
(WISH) — Here are statements from Indiana after Donald Trump became the first former president to be convicted of felony crimes Thursday.
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 convicted Trump on all 34 counts after deliberating for 9.5 hours. As the verdict was read, he sat stone-faced in court, looking down.
This story is being updated as statements come in.
Statements
“Today is a dark day in American history and one that Democrats will come to regret. To any objective observer, this case was rigged from the beginning to silence President Biden’s political opponent. For Democrats, the end justified the means, even if that meant eroding Americans confidence in the justice system and Constitution in the process. However, this is only going to strengthen Trump’s resolve and grow his support—and come November 5, the American people are going to fire President Biden.”
U.S. Rep. Jim Baird, a Republican from Greencastle
“Joe Biden and his Democrat allies’ weaponization of the American justice system is disgusting and today officially marks a sad day in U.S. history. Unfortunately, the real victims are the American people who are left to deal with crippling inflation, a humanitarian crisis at the southern border, crumbling public safety, and instability across the globe. Fortunately, the American people will be heard loud and clear when Donald Trump is elected President in November.”
Anne Hathaway, chairwoman of Indiana GOP
“A jury of everyday Americans weighed the evidence and decided to convict the former president for attempting to seize power by denying our freedom to elect our leaders without interference.
“I trust the jurors cared deeply about the job they were tasked with. It was not an easy position for them to be in. I thank the Trump jurors and all others for their service and stand by their verdict.
“We are a country of laws. My opponent Rep. Jim Banks has chosen to stand by the former president despite his felony convictions. He apparently does not believe in the rule of law. I do. Americans across race, place, party and background are coming together to say that in America, the voters decide the outcomes of elections. I ask for your vote in November to help us protect the rule of law in this country. NO ONE is above the law, not even a former president.”
Valerie McCray, of Indianapolis, the Democrat candidate for U.S. senator from Indiana
“This case was a blatant abuse of our justice system as a political weapon by a radical prosecutor trying to interfere in the election, and the verdict proves that this was just a show trial all along. Trump is going to win in November because Americans are sick of these political games when the price of everything has doubled in 4 years, and the world is at war because of Joe Biden’s weakness and incompetence.”
U.S. Sen. Mike Braun, a Republican from Jasper
“Today’s verdict is shocking – but not surprising. It is apparent to all but partisan liberals that the decision to prosecute this case against President Trump was nothing more than a gross abuse of the legal system in an attempt to hurt his electoral prospects in this year’s presidential contest. No one is above the law in the United States, but neither should we allow criminal prosecution against an individual to be normalized as a campaign strategy to achieve a partisan electoral outcome.”
Rep. Larry Bucshon, a Republican from Evansville
“The Rule of Law had a good 235 year run here in America, but Joe Biden killed it in a bogus, Soviet show trial because he is badly losing in the polls to President Trump.
“Biden and the Left’s total lust for power and their assaults on democracy are despicable, and must be defeated at the ballot box in November.
“President Trump has already been acquitted in the court of public opinion. Americans overwhelmingly see this sham witchhunt for the blatant political persecution that it is, and this baseless outcome is only going to help President Trump on his way to winning in November and Making America Great Again.”
Rep. Rudy Yakym, a Republican from Granger
““It’s a sad day for our country, as Joe Biden and his liberal cronies have advanced their election interference plot. Joe Biden is behind all of this because he knows he can’t beat him at the ballot box. It’s a complete and total SHAM, and it has been since the beginning. Look at the facts: Corrupt DA Alvin Bragg is funded by Biden donors, Judge Juan Merchan donated to Biden and his daughter works for high-profile Democrats, and lead prosecutor Matthew Colangelo was formerly a top official in Biden’s weaponized Department of Justice. There was no way for this to be a fair trial. While these New York jurors may have been willing to play a part in this sham, the American people recognize that these charges amount to nothing more than election interference orchestrated by the Biden administration. I stand with Donald J. Trump, and the American people do too.”
U.S. Rep. Jim Banks, a Republican from Columbia City