Illinois elected officials are responding to the conviction of former President Donald Trump by a Manhattan jury.
Trump, who is 77 years old, has been found guilty on 34 counts of falsifying business records. According to the laws of New York state, falsifying business records in the first degree is considered a Class E felony, which carries a maximum prison sentence of four years.
In the case, the focus was on Trump’s alleged sexual encounter with an adult film actress in 2006. A $130,000 payment was made to her in 2016 in order to maintain her silence before the 2016 election. Trump maintained his innocence and denied the occurrence of the encounter.
After the verdict on Thursday, Trump gave a speech.
“This trial was a complete disgrace,” expressed the former president. “It was clearly biased, with a judge who had conflicts of interest and was corrupt. They refused to grant us a venue change, despite the fact that we had only 5% or 6% support in this district and area.”
According to him, the true verdict will be revealed on November 5th, which coincides with the General Election.
“I did nothing wrong, everyone knows that,” Trump confidently stated. “I firmly believe in my innocence, and I will continue to fight for our country and our constitution.”
President Trump claimed that the lawsuit was initiated by his potential rival, President Joe Biden.
Illinois U.S. Representative, Sean Casten, a Democrat from Downers Grove, expressed his reaction simply by stating, “Guilty on all counts.”
U.S. Rep. Mary Miller, a Republican from southern Illinois, took to X (formerly known as Twitter) to share her experience of spending a day in the courtroom.
“It was an absolute sham,” Miller exclaimed on his social media post. “The judge, who clearly had a bias against President Trump, directed the jury to convict him even if only four out of the twelve jurors agreed on a crime. Astonishingly, some of the witnesses who testified against Trump confessed to perjury. It’s astounding how the corrupt prosecutor, who was appointed by the Biden DOJ, was allowed to proceed with such a biased case!”
Governor J.B. Pritzker also responded.
Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker expressed his satisfaction with the outcome, stating, “Justice has been served. After undergoing a fair trial by a jury of his peers, Donald Trump’s true nature as a dishonest and deceitful individual has been revealed. He manipulated the law in an attempt to mislead voters, but today, the law has finally caught up with him.”
Pritzker went on to describe Trump as “a racist, a homophobe, a grifter, and a threat to this country.”
Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker declared, “He can now add one more title to his list – a felon,” as he delivered a resolute statement. Pritzker affirmed, “But let me be clear, Donald Trump will never be 47.”
U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson, a Republican from Louisiana, has recently shared his thoughts on X. In a statement posted on X, Johnson expressed his views on the matter.
“Today marks a disgraceful moment in American history. The Democrats rejoiced as they successfully convicted the leader of the opposing party on absurd allegations, all based on the testimony of a disbarred and convicted felon,” Johnson expressed. “This was nothing more than a political spectacle, devoid of any legal foundation.”
According to Johnson, the Biden Administration has been actively weaponizing our justice system, and the recent decision only reinforces the Democrats’ determination to suppress dissent and undermine their political adversaries.
According to him, Americans witness the phenomenon of “lawfare” and are fully aware of the fact that it is not only incorrect but also poses a significant threat.
Johnson expressed confidence in President Trump’s appeal, stating, “President Trump will rightfully challenge this outrageous verdict—and he will emerge victorious!”
Johnson is set to attend the Tazewell County/Peoria County Lincoln Day Dinner in Peoria on Saturday.