Trump verdict: Reaction pours in from politicians across 2-state region

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) - After Donald Trump became the first former president to be convicted of felony crimes, political leaders from Georgia and South Carolina started reacting on Thursday.

Here’s some of what they said:

Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp: “From the beginning, this prosecution and trial have been driven by partisan politics. Despite today’s events, the ultimate verdict is up to the American people on November 5th when they will have a clear choice on the future of our country.”

South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster: “The American people understand that this trial was nothing more than a political attack on President Trump. We will respond decisively at the ballot box in November and return him to the White House.”

Georgia Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock: “No one is above the law — including Donald Trump.”

South Carolina U.S. Sen. Tim Scott: “I can’t believe the hoax. The sham. This absolute injustice justice system. D.A. Bragg and the judge should be ashamed of themselves. This isn’t just ridiculous. This actually erodes the confidence that Americans have in the justice system. Unbelievable, unfreaking believable. But good news is coming. D.A. Bragg: Hear me clearly, you cannot silence the American people. You cannot stop us from voting for change. Joe Biden’s injustice. Joe Biden’s two-tier injustice system weaponizing the justice system of the United States of America against a political opponent. UnAmerican. Joe Biden, you’re fired. We the people stand with Donald Trump.”

South Carolina U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham: “This verdict says more about the system than the allegations. It will be seen as politically motivated and unfair, and it will backfire tremendously on the political Left. The Manhattan legal system has become a joke in every sense of the word. This is a mockery of justice.”

South Carolina U.S. Rep. Jim Clyburn: “The jury has spoken. Justice has prevailed.”

Georgia Lt. Gov. Burt Jones: “The left wing media, a politically motivated judge, and Biden’s weaponized DOJ persecuted Donald Trump to help win an election. This was clearly a miscarriage of justice and election interference that will be overturned on appeal. We stand by President Trump in this fight for our country!”

Georgia Republican Party Chairman Josh McKoon: “Today’s outcome was preordained by a partisan judge and prosecutor who have critically damaged public confidence in our criminal justice system, perhaps irrevocably. Republicans should not have to fear being in jurisdictions that elect Democrats who will prosecute them for the crime of being Republican, but that is what has happened today.”

U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene: The unabashed Trump er who represents northwest Georgia’s 14th district in Congress simply tweeted the image of an upside-down American flag.

South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson: “The decision to bring charges against President Trump was fueled by political motivations instead of the rule of law. I believe these charges would never have been pursued against anyone not named Trump, which makes a mockery of the judicial systems and causes the public to doubt the integrity of all prosecutors. The jury has made its decision, and now I’ll be one of the first in the fight in of Trump’s appeal.”

Rep. Nikema Williams, Democratic Party of Georgia chairwoman: “Nobody is above the law and today’s verdict, while a long time coming, does not change our mission in 2024 to re-elect President Biden to continue his work investing in Georgia, creating jobs and producing more opportunities for everyone. Convicted felon or not, Donald Trump is the Republican nominee for president, and Georgians cannot afford a second term of our freedoms being ripped away by an unhinged and even more dangerous candidate.”

Drew McKissick, South Carolina Republican Party chairman: “What we’re seeing now is what we traditionally see in so-called Banana Republics - two standards of justice where a party in power seeks to put its opponents in jail. Every American who believes that justice should be applied equally and fairly should be appalled by what we’ve seen over the last year. It just underscores how incredibly important this election truly is for our nation.”

Biden-Harris campaign: “Donald Trump has always mistakenly believed he would never face consequences for breaking the law for his own personal gain. 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. Convicted felon or not, Trump will be the Republican nominee for president. The threat Trump poses to our democracy has never been greater. He is running an increasingly unhinged campaign of revenge and retribution, pledging to be a dictator ‘on day one’ and calling for our Constitution to be ‘terminated’ so he can regain and keep power. A second Trump term means chaos, ripping away Americans’ freedoms and fomenting political violence – and the American people will reject it this November.”

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