Illinois politicians condemn, support former President Donald Trump after guilty verdict
Trump charged with 34 counts of falsifying business records in New York
CHICAGO (WLS) -- Illinois politicians are reacting Thursday after former President Donald Trump was found guilty by a Manhattan jury on all 34 counts in the criminal case related to an alleged hush money payment made to adult film star Stormy Daniels.
Illinois Governor JB Pritzker, someone who has not shied away from taking on the former president said in a written statement, "Donald Trump is a racist, a homophobe, a grifter, and a threat to this country. He can now add one more title to his list - a felon."
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The governor added that he thinks the former president will never win office again.
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson says justice has been served.
"Justice spoke very loudly today," Johnson said. "This is how the process works, justice being served at this moment is critical for our democracy."
However, to the Illinois Republican Party, the issue in the trial was one of process, saying "...a political prosecution the likes of which occurs in banana republics but not previously in these United States. Democrat activist investigators and prosecutors have relentlessly hounded President Trump for years."
ABC7 chief legal analyst Gil Soffer found no shortcomings in the legal process or the jury's deliberations.
"It would have been quite plausible to think that this jury would struggle with it and even if they had a pretty good sense of where they wanted to come out," Soffer said. 'They made sure to work through it because they would know the consequences - this is a pretty quick turnaround so I think it tells us that they believed the evidence as it was presented."
ABC7 political analyst Laura Washington agreed with both presidential campaigns that the public will also have a say come November, and Trump won't run away from Thursday's judgement.
"He has already declared that he is a political prisoner, and he is going to try to use that to his political benefit to make the case he has been treated unfairly and that this has been a witch hunt," Washington said.
Former Illinois Governor Rod Blagoevich was also among those weighing in.
Blagoevich posted the following tweet on X.
Illinois Republican Party Chairman Don Tracy released the following statement.
"Let's call this trial what it really is: a political prosecution the likes of which occurs in banana republics but not previously in these United States. Democrat activist investigators and prosecutors have relentlessly hounded President Trump for years. First, they challenged the legitimacy of his election in 2016 thru the Russian collusion hoax. Then, they strove to defeat his re-election in 2020 thru impeachments and the Hunter Biden laptop coverup. Then, they indicted him and his supporters to tarnish his legacy in an effort to re-elect President Biden. This weaponization of the judicial system has weakened our country here and in the eyes of the world, which I'm sure President Biden will savor while he vacations in Delaware as his handlers make critical decisions for the country."
Illinois Senator Dick Durbin released the following statement.
"As I've said all along: no one is above the law-not even a former president. Consistent with the rule of law, a jury of his peers found the former president guilty on all counts. Today's verdict is another reminder that Donald Trump is unfit for public service. Now, it is up to the American people to decide if he is worthy of the seat behind the Resolute desk in the Oval Office."
Illinois Senator Tammy Duckworth tweeted about the verdict as well.
Illinois 5th District Representative Mike Quigley posted the following thread of tweets to X.
Former Illinois Congressman Adam Kinzinger tweeted the following statement.
The Illinois Freedom Caucus released the following statement.
"This is a sad day for our nation. Regardless of one's view of President Donald Trump, every person accused under our laws deserves a fair trial and a fair legal process. The case against President Trump was rigged from the outset. The prosecutor Alvin Bragg ran a campaign promising to prosecute President Trump. The judge in the case is a Democrat and has a daughter directly involved in Democratic party politics. Throughout the entire process, the judge refused to allow key witnesses for the defense and allowed the prosecution to do virtually whatever they wanted to do. The judge clearly had his thumbs on the scales of justice. President Trump will be vindicated on appeal but what happened here is the sanctioning of political persecution. This trial, this verdict, this manipulation of our justice system is the new face of leftist tyranny. The unhinged left may be celebrating now, but they will not win the war. The American people will see through this sham trial and they will elect Donald Trump President of the United States in November. The only verdict we the people care about is the one coming on November 5th."
