Mike Johnson slammed as he calls Trump's hush money conviction 'a shameful day in American history'

MANHATTAN, NEW YORK: House Speaker Mike Johnson, along with other top congressional Republicans, condemned former President Donald Trump's historic felony conviction on Thursday as "a purely political exercise" and "weaponization of our justice system" by President Joe Biden, according to the New York Post.

Shortly after the Manhattan jury declared the presumptive 2024 Republican presidential nominee guilty on all 34 counts of felony in his hush money criminal trial, Johnson (R-La) reacted, “Today is a shameful day in American history. Democrats cheered as they convicted the leader of the opposing party on ridiculous charges, predicated on the testimony of a disbarred, convicted felon.”

Speaker Johnson was one of the several Donald Trump backers who traveled to New York earlier this month to catch glimpses of the criminal trial in person.

What did Mike Johnson and other House Republicans say about Trump’s felony conviction?

“This was a purely political exercise, not a legal one,” Speaker Johnson went on to say.

“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,” he said.

“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!” the Louisiana Republican asserted.

Rep Elise Stefanik (R-NY), who’s regarded as one of the potential Trump VP picks, said the verdict “shows how corrupt, rigged, and unAmerican [sic] the weaponized justice system has become under Joe Biden and Democrats.”

“The facts are clear: this was a zombie case illegally brought forward by a corrupt prosecutor doing Joe Biden’s political bidding in a desperate attempt to save Joe Biden’s failing campaign,” the GOP congresswoman remarked.

“The case hinged on the testimony of a convicted felon who was disbarred for lying and perjured himself when he lied to Congress,” she claimed.

Trump's ardent supporter Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), the chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, also sounded off, declaring the ruling as a "travesty of justice."

The Buckeye State Republican said, “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.”

Rep Nicole Malliotakis (R-NY) denounced the "sham" verdict as "pre-baked," claiming that it was inevitable that former President Trump would not receive a just ruling in blue New York.

The New York GOP representative argued, “What Alvin Bragg and the Democrats have accused President Trump of doing in 2016 — conspiring to promote or prevent the election of a person to public office by unlawful means — is exactly what the Democrats themselves have done with this political prosecution.”

“They concocted and conspired this entire witch-hunt and weaponized our judicial system to interfere with the election and prevent President Trump from being reelected in November,” she alleged.

How did Democrats react to Trump's guilty verdict?

At a town hall meeting in the Bronx on Thursday night, Rep Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), a prominent socialist figure within the Democratic party, celebrated the felony conviction of the first former US President in history.

“He was found guilty on all 34 counts,” the congresswoman said to rapturous applause from her audience.

“The rule of law applies to everyone,” she remarked.

Meanwhile, Rep Maxine Waters (D-Calif) wrote on X: “Hallelujah!!! My predictions came true! I predicted three years ago at a speech with the Human Rights Campaign that Stormy Daniels would be the one to get Trump, my faith in the criminal justice system has been strengthened!”

Internet abuzz as Trump becomes first former US president to be convicted on 34 counts of felony

One X user remarked, "Having an ex-president who is a convicted felon is a disgrace to this country. Why would he cheat on his beautiful wife with a porn star. He may have to go to jail."

Another user said, "The party of Trump (convicted felon) is bending over backward to kiss his a**."

Another user wrote, "Trump has 55 more Felonies that are a Hell of a lot worse to go !! Let’s giddyup !!"

One X user asked, "Why do far right politicians feel so triggered by common sense law and order?"

Another user quipped, "We don't give a flying ra** a** what Johnson or anyone in the GOP thinks anymore."

Finally, this user tweeted, "Careful speaker Johnson. If Donald Trump's popularity continues to grow, and I think it will, your handlers will call you to bring to the floor a motion to declare Donald Trump an insurrectionist. It is the last "legal", avenue to disqualify Donald Trump from being president."

This article contains remarks made on the Internet by individual people and organizations. MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and does not support claims or opinions being made online.