Reaction to Trump’s guilty verdict is widespread

May 31, 2024May 31, 2024

Jurors in New York state court on Thursday found Donald Trump guilty on all 34 felony counts of falsifying business records to cover up hush money payments to a porn star ultimately to influence the outcome of the 2016 presidential election.

The first-ever criminal trial of a former U.S. president wrapped up in Manhattan, marking an extraordinary moment in American history not only for a former leader, but for one who is seeking to again hold the Oval Office. Trump, the Republican Party’s presumed 2024 presidential nominee, is now a convicted felon.

Trump now faces penalties ranging from probation to up to four years in prison for each charge of falsifying business records in the first degree.

Trump briefly spoke to news cameras outside the courtroom, criticizing the proceeding as a “rigged, disgraceful trial.”

“The real verdict is going to be Nov. 5 by the people, and they know what happened here and everybody knows what happened here,” Trump said in remarks live-streamed and cataloged on C-SPAN.

Derrick Johnson, NAACP President and CEO shared the following statement in a press release:

“Today is a monumental step toward justice for the American people. Whether it’s an attempt to steal an election or overthrow our government, one thing has long been apparent – Donald Trump is unfit to represent American democracy. The NAACP strongly believes that anyone who has been found guilty of criminal offenses of this magnitude is unfit to occupy the Oval Office. As Black Americans have been denied basic human rights due to less offensive crimes, any attempt to advance Donald Trump’s nomination for Presidency would be a gross advancement of white supremacist policy.”

The NAACP was the first to file a lawsuit against Donald Trump following the January 6th insurrection, and remains an outspoken critic of his inherently fascist policies and rhetoric.

Virginia lawmakers also weighed in on the verdict. Governor Glenn Youngkin said the following on X, formerly Twitter:

The American people see this for what it is: a politically motivated prosecution orchestrated by those who want to “get” President Trump.

On November 5th, Americans will render their verdict on Joe Biden’s failed leadership based on the issues that affect them everyday.
— Glenn Youngkin (@GlennYoungkin) May 30, 2024

Senate Finance and Appropriations Committee Chair Sen. Louise Lucas, D-Portsmouth, said the following on X:

I am hopeful that the newly convicted thug will still be legally allowed to waste his time campaigning in Virginia so he can continue costing Republicans multiple elections for running on his platform.
— L. Louise Lucas (@SenLouiseLucas) May 30, 2024

It is expected that Trump’s lawyers will appeal the ruling, which will push back any potential prison time should the prosecutors seek it. Donations for the Trump campaign increased after the verdict, and according to a PBS NewsHour/NPR/Marist Poll, 67 percent of voters said a conviction would make no difference for them in November, including 74 percent of independents polled.