In a pivotal moment for American politics, the Biden-Harris campaign celebrated a significant legal victory on Thursday as a Manhattan jury delivered a guilty verdict against former President Donald Trump. The trial, which captivated the nation, revolved around allegations of hush-money payments made to porn actress Stormy Daniels before the 2016 election.
The jury, after starting deliberations on Wednesday post-closing arguments, convicted Trump on all 34 felony counts of falsifying business records. These charges were meticulously pursued by Manhattan Democratic District Attorney Alvin Bragg and presided over by Judge Juan Merchan, a known supporter of President Joe Biden’s 2020 campaign.
Biden-Harris Campaign Statement on Today’s Verdict pic.twitter.com/TEmdNsPmzP
— Biden-Harris HQ (@BidenHQ) May 30, 2024
Michael Tyler, the Biden Campaign Communications Director, articulated the campaign's sentiments with a firm message. “In New York today, we saw that no one is above the law,” Tyler asserted. He emphasized Trump’s long-standing belief in his own immunity to legal repercussions, stressing that the verdict underlines a fundamental truth: the only definitive way to bar Trump from the presidency is through the electoral process. Tyler continued, “Convicted felon or not, Trump will be the Republican nominee for president.”
The Biden-Harris campaign also accused Trump of running a revenge-driven campaign, highlighting his alarming political promises. “The threat Trump poses to our democracy has never been greater,” the statement read.
It detailed Trump's escalating rhetoric, which includes vows of dictatorship from day one and a desire to dismantle the Constitution to reclaim and maintain power. The campaign warned of the potential chaos and erosion of American freedoms a second Trump term could unleash, predicting a forceful rejection from the American electorate in November.
ABC's Mary Bruce: “Cheers inside the Biden headquarters in Wilmington as the verdict was read..”
“These guilty verdicts are a political gift to Democrats, a political gift to the President..." but Biden "doesn't want to be overly celebratory.”
pic.twitter.com/Li4wq6HBDh— TV News Now (@TVNewsNow) May 30, 2024
Judge Merchan has scheduled Trump’s sentencing for July 11. This timing is crucial, as it falls just four days before the Republican National Convention, where Trump is poised to receive his party’s nomination. The trial has significantly impacted Trump’s campaign activities over the past month, and the forthcoming sentencing adds another layer of complexity to his presidential aspirations.
As the nation watches these events unfold, the Biden-Harris campaign’s message is clear: maintaining the rule of law and protecting democratic values are at the forefront of their agenda, positioning themselves as the bulwark against what they describe as Trump's chaotic and dangerous vision for America’s future.