Trump’s guilty verdict divides American politics

The historic condemnation of former US president Donald Trump in a New York court on 34 felonies sparked a swift reaction from across the political spectrum.

The campaign of Trump’s election opponent and Democratic presidential candidate, President Joe Biden, said the New York jury’s decision to convict a former president showed that no one is above the law.

“Donald Trump has always mistakenly believed that he would never face the consequences of breaking the law for his own personal gain,” the Biden-Harris campaign said in a statement. “But today’s verdict does not change the fact that the American people face a simple reality. There is still only one way to keep Donald Trump out of the Oval Office: at the ballot box.”

The Trump campaign alleged in a statement that it was unable to have a fair trial in one of the most liberal areas of the country.

“This was a shame. It was a rigged trial by a troubled judge who was corrupt. It is a rigged trial, a shame. They did not give us a change of venue. We were in the 5% or 6% in this district, in this area. “This was a shameful, rigged trial,” Trump said in a statement.

US House Speaker Mike Johnson, a senior Republican, said in a statement: “Today is a shameful day in American history. Democrats applauded when they convicted the leader of the opposition party on ridiculous charges, based on the testimony of a convicted and disqualified criminal. This was a purely political exercise, not a legal one.

The strength of the system

Congressional Democrats said the verdict demonstrated the strength of the American legal system.

“An individual who has been convicted of 34 felonies and who shows no respect for the rule of law is unfit to lead the greatest nation in the world,” said Democratic Senator Sheldon Whitehouse, chairman of the U.S. Judiciary Subcommittee. Senate.

The verdict marked the first time a former US president has been convicted of a serious crime. The decision, however, does not prevent Trump from running for office as he faces a lengthy appeals process.

Barbara Perry, co-chair of the Presidential Oral History Program at the University of Virginia’s Miller Center, told the VOA that if the appeal fails, Trump will mark another historic milestone for a US president.

“Let’s say this felony conviction stays until November 5, the next day of the presidential election. It would be the case that if you maintain your residency in Florida, a state where convicted felons cannot vote, you literally will not be would allow him to vote for himself. The other irony of this, besides it being unprecedented… is that he and many Republicans have tried in recent years to suppress votes.”

Trump could also face prison time or could be placed under house arrest if the conviction stands.

Republican Senator Lindsey Graham in a statement criticized the process that led to the guilty verdict.

“A corrupt political prosecutor fabricated charges in one of the most liberal legal forums in the country. A hateful, biased judge who should have been disqualified conducted a trial in a way that ensured Donald Trump’s conviction. A jury drawn from one of the most liberal areas of the United States,” Graham said.

Perry refuted Republican accusations that the trial was a sham.

“Most objective observers would say that [este] He was a very fair judge. And even if they thought the judge was unfair, would they think the 12 jurors were unfair? “Would you think they were all partisan?” he said. “The 12 jurors were approved by both sides in this trial, and to say that our entire legal system is a sham, would indicate that it borders almost on treason.”

White House counsel spokesman Ian Sams said: “We respect the rule of law and have no additional comment.” The White House has not yet responded to the question VOA on whether he had prepared for a stepped-up risk assessment after the verdict.

Trump faces criminal cases on unrelated charges in Florida, Georgia and Washington.

Connect with the Voice of America! Subscribe to our channels Youtube, WhatsApp and to the newsletter. Turn on notifications and follow us on Facebook, x and instagram.