Illinois politicians react after Donald Trump was found guilty on all 34 counts in hush money case

CHICAGO (WLS) — Illinois politicians are reacting Thursday after former President Donald Trump was found guilty by a Manhattan jury of 34 criminal counts related to alleged hush money payments to adult film star Stormy Daniels.

Illinois Governor JB Pritzker, who has not been shy about criticizing the former president, said in a written statement, “Donald Trump is a racist, a homophobe, a fraud and a threat to this country. Now he can add another title to his list: felon.”

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The governor added that he doesn’t think the former president will run for office again.

Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson said justice had been served.

“Justice spoke loudly today,” Johnson said. “This is how justice is administered, and it is crucial to our democracy that justice is served at this moment.”

But for the Illinois Republican Party, the issue with the trial is procedural, saying it is “a political prosecution of the kind that happens in banana republics but has never been seen in the United States before. Democratic activist investigators and prosecutors have been relentlessly hounding President Trump for years.”

ABC7 Chief Legal Analyst Gil Sofer said no flaws were found in the legal process or jury deliberations.

“It would have been pretty reasonable to think that the jury, even if they had a pretty good idea of ​​what conclusion they wanted to reach, would have struggled with it,” Soffer said. “They knew what the outcome was going to be, and they were going to work through it. This was a pretty rapid development, and I think it shows that they believed the evidence that was presented.”

ABC7 political analyst Laura Washington agreed with both presidential campaigns that the public will have a chance to have their say in November and that Trump is unlikely to walk away from Thursday’s ruling.

“He’s already declared himself a political prisoner and is now trying to politicize it and say he was treated unfairly and this was a witch hunt,” Washington said.

Former Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich also weighed in.

Blagojevich tweeted the following to X:

Illinois Republican Party Chairman Don Tracy released the following statement:

“Let’s call this trial for what it is: a political prosecution of the kind that happens in banana republics but has never happened before in the United States. Democratic activist investigators and prosecutors have been relentlessly hounding President Trump for years. First, they challenged the legitimacy of the 2016 presidential election with the Russia collusion hoax. Then they tried to block his reelection in 2020 with impeachment and the cover-up of Hunter Biden’s laptops. Then they indicted him and his supporters and tarnished his legacy in order to get President Biden reelected. This weaponization of our justice system is weakening our country both at home and around the world, and I’m sure President Biden will savor that while he vacations in Delaware as his cronies make important decisions for the country.”

Illinois Senator Dick Durbin released the following statement:

“As I have always said, no one is above the law, not even a former president. In accordance with the rule of law, the jury found the former president guilty of all charges. Today’s verdict is yet another reminder that Donald Trump is unfit for office. It is now up to the American people to decide whether he is fit to take his seat behind the Resolute Desk in the Oval Office.”

Illinois Senator Tammy Duckworth also tweeted about the ruling.

Mike Quigley, Illinois Representative for the 5th District, posted the following tweet thread to X:

Former Illinois Rep. Adam Kinzinger tweeted the following statement:

The Illinois State Freedom Caucus released the following statement:

“This is a sad day for our country. Regardless of one’s view of President Donald Trump, everyone charged under our laws is entitled to a fair trial and fair legal process. The case against President Trump has been rigged from the beginning. The prosecutor, Alvin Bragg, campaigned on a promise to indict President Trump. The judge in this trial is a Democrat and has a daughter who is directly involved in Democratic politics. Throughout the entire trial, the judge did not allow key defense witnesses to testify, effectively allowing the prosecution to do whatever they wanted. The judge clearly had his finger on the scales of justice and rigged them. President Trump will be acquitted on appeal, but what has happened here is a sanction of political persecution. This trial, this verdict, this manipulation of the justice system is another facet of left-wing tyranny. The crazy left may be celebrating now, but they will not win the war. The American people will see through this sham trial and elect Donald Trump President of the United States in November. All we, the people, care about is the verdict that will be handed down on November 5th.”