MAGA is mourning.
After Donald Trump, the 45th president and presumptive Republican nominee for president, became a convicted felon 34 times over for falsifying business records to influence the 2016 election results by buying the silence of a porn star — his legion of supporters came to his defense.
"Today is a shameful day in American history," stated House Speaker Mike Johnson minutes after the jury handed down the unanimous verdict in Lower Manhattan. "Democrats cheered as they convicted the leader of the opposing party on ridiculous charges, predicated on the testimony of a disbarred, convicted felon. This was a purely political exercise, not a legal one."
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He continued: The weaponization of our justice system has been a hallmark of the Biden Administration, and the decision today is further evidence that Democrats will stop at nothing to silence dissent and crush their political opponents. The American people see this as lawfare, and they know it is wrong—and dangerous. President Trump will rightfully appeal this absurd verdict—and he WILL WIN!"
Trump historically became the former president to be convicted of felony crimes after the jury deliberated for fewer than 11 hours.
"Guilty on all counts," reads a post by Trump's son Don Jr. "The Democrats have succeeded in their years long attempt to turn America into a third-world s---hole. November 5 is our last chance to save it."
Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH) also slammed the criminal justice process that found Trump culpable.
"The verdict is a travesty of justice," he tweeted. "The Manhattan kangaroo court shows what happens when our justice system is weaponized by partisan prosecutors in front of a biased judge with an unfair process, designed to keep President Trump off the campaign trail and avoid bringing attention to President Biden’s failing radical policies."
"Americans see through Democrats' lawfare tactics and know President Trump will be vindicated on appeal."
Staunch MAGA supporter Rep. Matt Gaetz posted a link with a slogan "NEVER SURRENDER! DONATE TODAY" urging loyalists to turn their anger into fiscal support for Trump's pursuit to become the 47th president.
Meantime, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who was at one point a fierce rival of Trump's as they both were vying to win the Republican primary contest, has since become a surrogate and came down hard on the verdict.
"Today’s verdict represents the culmination of a legal process that has been bent to the political will of the actors involved: a leftist prosecutor, a partisan judge and a jury reflective of one of the most liberal enclaves in America—all in an effort to 'get' Donald Trump," he writes in his Twitter/X post. "That this case—involving alleged misdemeanor business records violations from nearly a decade ago—was even brought is a testament to the political debasement of the justice system in places like New York City... It is often said that no one is above the law, but it is also true that no one is below the law. If the defendant were not Donald Trump, this case would never have been brought, the judge would have never issued similar rulings, and the jury would have never returned a guilty verdict.
"In America, the rule of law should be applied in a dispassionate, even-handed manner, not become captive to the political agenda of some kangaroo court."
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) posted a wordless response: an image of the upside Stars and Stripes — the symbol wielded by 2020 by various protesters claiming the country was on a dire path.
"This is a dark day for America," writes Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX). "This entire trial has been a sham, and it is nothing more than political persecution. "The only really they prosecuted Donald Trump is because Democrats are terrified that he will win reelection. This disgraceful decision is legally baseless and should be overturned promptly on appeal. Any judge with a modicum of integrity would recognize that this entire trial has been utterly fraudulent."
Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO) also came to Trump's side.
Among his tweets, he posted: "This is America under Democrat rule: prosecuting political opponents whether it’s pro-life Americans or a former President... This 'trial' has been from beginning to end a complete and total sham, a mockery of the criminal justice system, and one of the most dangerous abuses of our political process in American history."
And Rep. Laura Boebert (R-CO) offered her take: "Say it with me: ELECTION INTERFERENCE."