On Thursday afternoon, a New York jury convicted Donald Trump on all 34 felony counts of falsifying business records, making him the first former U.S. president ever to be found guilty of a crime.
The conviction was handed down in a Manhattan courtroom, where Trump had been on trial since April 15. After more than nine hours of deliberation, the jury reached its unanimous verdict on Thursday.
Alabama officials responded to the verdict late Thursday and we compiled their statements:
U.S. Rep. Gary Palmer (R-Hoover) referred to the trial and the broader legal effort against the former president as a “political assassination attempt.”
The Trump trial has been nothing more than a political assassination attempt. The only reason this case proceeded is because the defendant’s name is Donald Trump.
The left will do anything to stop him before the election in November.
— Gary Palmer (@USRepGaryPalmer) May 30, 2024
Speaker of the Alabama House of Representatives Nathaniel Ledbetter (R-Rainsville) said “the real jury is the American people,” who will decide between Trump and President Joe Biden in the November general election.
This blatant attempt to win an election in the courtroom is an all-out assault on democracy.
At the end of the day, the real jury is the American people. We aren’t being fooled one bit.
— Nathaniel Ledbetter (@RepLedbetter) May 30, 2024
State Sen. Greg Reed (R-Jasper), President Pro Tempore of the Alabama Senate, described the criminal trial as “election interference” and “Americans deserve better.”
Today is a sad day for our country, and this verdict against President Trump is a blatant attempt at election interference. The weaponization of the judicial system to target a political opponent critically weakens American faith in our judicial system. Americans deserve better.
— Senator Greg Reed (@SenatorGregReed) May 30, 2024
Alabama Governor Kay Ivey agreed with the former president’s remarks after the verdict was handed down on Thursday.
Despite this New York jury, as President Trump said, the real verdict will be by the people on Election Day November 5.
— Kay Ivey (@kayiveyforgov) May 30, 2024
U.S. Senator Katie Britt said “the real verdict will come on November 5” through her campaign and linked to the joint fundraising effort between Donald Trump’s 2024 election campaign and the Republican National Committee.
Today is a sad and shameful day that Democrats will ultimately regret, as they 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…
— Katie Britt (@KatieBrittforAL) May 30, 2024
Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall, who was present earlier this month alongside the former president during a crucial day for the trial, said the verdict “will only strengthen President Trump’s reelection bid.”
U.S. Rep. Mike Rogers (R-Saks), Chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, said he’s hopeful that “Americans can rectify this injustice on Election Day.”
Alvin Bragg just made a mockery of the American justice system. Today’s verdict is disheartening for our country, but I am hopeful that Americans can rectify this injustice on Election Day. https://t.co/h96jYYdV9c
— Mike Rogers (@RepMikeRogersAL) May 30, 2024
Secretary of State Wes Allen, the top election official in Alabama, said “This verdict will not stand!”
Today’s verdict is a perfect example of why our judicial system has an appeals process in place. 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…
— Wes Allen (@WesAllenAlabama) May 30, 2024
U.S. Rep. Jerry Carl (R-Mobile) said the trial was a “sham” intended to “prevent Trump from being on the campaign trail and to distract from Biden’s massive failures.”
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. (1/2)
— Jerry Carl (@CarlForAlabama) May 30, 2024
U.S. Sen. Tommy Tuberville, who attended in-person during a day of the Manhattan criminal trial alongside Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall, said the political bedrock of the trial makes the United States “no better than Venezuela or communist China.”
Pure election interference.
My full statement on today’s verdict against President Trump: pic.twitter.com/btmJJCnK34
— Coach Tommy Tuberville (@SenTuberville) May 30, 2024
U.S. Rep. Barry Moore (R-Enterprise) called the verdict a “kangaroo court” that “will go down in history as a sad day for America.”
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…
— Rep. Barry Moore (@RepBarryMoore) May 30, 2024
U.S. Rep. Dale Strong (R-Monrovia) said, “It is clear Democrats weaponized our court system to try to undermine President Trump.”
My statement on the Trump Verdict: pic.twitter.com/p571rz6X43
— Dale W. Strong (@RepDaleStrong) May 30, 2024
Alabama Lieutenant Governor Will Ainsworth said he’s voting for former President Trump in November.
The weaponization of our justice system and the use of guerrilla lawfare against President Trump caused this asinine verdict. A politically-motivated liberal prosecutor, a partisan and abusive judge, and an election-year trial are the recipe for injustice. I’m voting Trump 2024!!
— Will Ainsworth (@willainsworthAL) May 30, 2024
Former Alabama 5th District Congressman Mo Brooks, who has a tumultuous past with former President Trump, called on the Republican Party and voters to replace him in November.
.@realDonaldTrump GUILTY of 34 felonies per jury of 12 random citizens (none sought job).
GOP faces choice. USA future at stake.
Keep Trump as nominee & gamble USA’s future.
OR
Replace Trump with a good character nominee & BEAT THE STEW OUT OF BIDEN!https://t.co/KeTxb5R4wo
— Mo Brooks (@RepMoBrooks) May 30, 2024
U.S. Rep. Robert Aderholt (R-Haleyville) posted, “This was not about justice. This was about politics. This will be overturned on appeal.”
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.
— Robert Aderholt (@Robert_Aderholt) May 30, 2024
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