Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson, Donald Trump, and candidate Hal Weatherman pose for a photo over the Memorial Day weekend. (Photo: @HalWeathermanNC account on X.com)
Hours after a New York jury found Donald Trump guilty on 34 felony counts of falsifying business records to ultimately influence the outcome of the 2016 presidential election, Republicans politicians in North Carolina continued to defend the former president.
Gubernatorial candidate Mark Robinson, who Trump has endorsed, called the trial a sham.
“The Democrats know they can’t beat President Trump at the polls so they weaponize our government against him,” said Robinson on his Twitter/X account.
U.S. Senator Thom Tillis said he was ‘shocked’ by the verdict.
“From the beginning, it was clear that a radical, politically-motivated state prosecutor was using the full weight of his office to go after President Trump at the same time he turned a blind eye to violent criminals,” said Tillis.
Tillis also questioned whether the Manhattan D.A. had jurisdiction on a federal election matter.
“A total disgrace” is how North Carolina’s junior Senator Ted Budd summed up the proceedings.
Congresswoman Virginia Foxx (NC-05) said the District Attorney engaged in “brazen legal alchemy.”
“This decision will inevitably be thrown out by an appeal, but the damage will be done. A political opponent will have grounded a presidential candidate and branded his candidacy,” said Foxx in a statement.
Congressman Dan Bishop (NC-09), who is running as the Republican nominee for state Attorney General, said the case was election interference to “get Trump.”
“It’s never been about justice – it’s about rigging and weaponizing our justice system against anyone who threatens their grip on power. We must end the leftist lawfare in November,” Bishop shared on social media, signing off with the hashtag #MAGA2024.
Congressman Greg Murphy (NC-03), who is recovering after having a tumor removed from the base of his skull, tweeted, “We are officially now a banana republic.”
Addison McDowell, who Trump endorsed for Congress in North Carolina’s 6th District, called the verdict a travesty and linked to a campaign donation page in which the former president referred to himself as a ‘political prisoner.’ Trump has not been sentenced yet.
North Carolina democratic Congresswoman Deborah Ross (NC-02) countered the Republican narrative with this simple assessment.
“This is how our legal system is supposed to function. A jury of his peers deliberated the facts and came to this unanimous decision. The bottom line is that no one is above the law.”
Sentencing is set for Tuesday, July 11, just days before the Republican National Convention.
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