Kathy Griffin, Rob Reiner and John Cusack are among the celebrities sharing their “joy” over Donald Trump’s historic hush money trial guilty verdict.
Comic Kathy, 63, saw her career nosedive after a 2017 controversy over her posting a photo of violence against scandal-hit Trump, 77, who is now facing four years in prison after being convicted of all 34 counts in his pay-off case – making him the first former US president convicted of a crime.
Trump branded the verdict, which came through on Thursday (30.05.24) in New York, “disgraceful” and insisted he is a “very innocent man” after being found guilty of falsifying business records.
But Kathy said online after the verdict came in she was crying “tears of joy”.
Director Rob Reiner, 77, celebrated the decision by posting: “GUILTY!!!!!”, while actor John Cusack, 57, posted: “The dumb treacherous criminal is now a convicted felon – 34 times over. Now what will judge do with Trump contempt violations.”
Actor Billy Baldwin, 61, also said: “Guilty on all counts. E. Jean Carroll ... Stormy Daniels... Election interference, espionage and inciting an insurrection coming up.”
Prosecutors accused Trump of falsifying internal business records to cover up hush money payments tied to an alleged scheme to bury stories that might torpedo his 2016 White House bid.
The charges involved reimbursements paid to Trump’s former lawyer Michael Cohen for a $130,000 hush money payment to former pornographic actress Stormy Daniels in exchange for not going public with her claim about a 2006 sexual encounter with Trump.
The prosecution said the reimbursements were falsely logged as “legal expenses”.
The case is the first of Trump´s four indictments to reach trial and is the first-ever criminal case against a former US president.
Judge Juan M Merchan has scheduled Trump’s sentencing for 11 July, days before Republicans are set to select him as the 2024 presidential nominee.
The jury announced it had reached a decision in the case via a note to Judge Merchan at 4.20pm on Thursday, minutes after he said the court would adjourn at 4.30pm barring a verdict.
