US reps for Polk County react to conviction of former President Trump in NY trial
Polk County’s four members of the U.S. House of Representatives reacted promptly to Thursday’s announcement that a jury in New York had found former President Donald Trump guilty on 34 counts of falsifying business records related to his presidential campaign in 2016.
“It’s a dark and stunning day in America,” Rep. Scott Franklin, R-Lakeland, posted on X, formerly Twitter. “When a former president is convicted of illegitimate charges in a sham trial based on the testimony of a hooker and a felon, everyone should be terrified. They can and will come for you, too, unless we retake our country on Nov. 5.”
That is the date of the presidential election, when Trump, the presumptive Republican nominee, will face President Joe Biden, a Democrat, in a rematch of 2020.
"DA (Alvin) Bragg’s case against President Trump was nothing but a partisan political sham put on by Democrats,” Rep. Laurel Lee, R-Brandon, wrote in a statement. “The entire prosecution should have never taken place and is very clearly politically motivated, led by a rogue prosecutor and conflicted judge.
"As a former prosecutor and judge, I am deeply disappointed that our justice system was manipulated and politicized this way. It’s disheartening to see the outcome of this case that was supported by neither facts nor the law."
Lee served as an assistant U.S. attorney for the Middle District of Florida and as a circuit judge in Hillsborough County.
“This is a sad day for our country — the latest example of the two-tier justice system being weaponized against President Trump,” Rep. Daniel Webster, R-Clermont, said in a written statement. “This sham trial should have been thrown out before it even started. Blinded by partisan rage, District Attorney Alvin Bragg failed to present a specific crime committed, with the prosecution unable to present credible evidence.
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“Make no mistake, there was no crime, no victim, and the star witness is a convicted liar. Despite this, the effort to take down Donald Trump continued thanks to the aid of a partisan judge. Since this trial began in April, it’s been clear that the trial is nothing more than a witch-hunt against President Trump. The American people see through this politicization of the rule of law and see it as nothing more than an effort to interfere in the 2024 election.”
Rep. Darren Soto, D-Kissimmee, issued a brief statement on X:
“Fmr Pres Trump had his day in court and finally faced justice. This case proves once again that no one is above the law in our country. We must respect the jury’s decision and let the appeals process play out.”
Soto’s district includes small parts of eastern Polk County.
This article originally appeared on The Ledger: Polk County's US reps react to Trump's conviction in New York
