NY Rep Dean Phillips labelled 'opportunist' for urging Kathy Hochul to pardon Trump in hush money case

MANHATTAN, NEW YORK: Rep Dean Phillips (D-Minn.) has urged Governor Kathy Hochul (D) of New York to grant a pardon to Donald Trump following the former president's conviction on 34 counts of felony related to falsifying business records to conceal hush money payments.

Phillips, who previously vied for the Democratic presidential nomination against President Joe Biden, took to X, formerly Twitter, on Friday night to make the plea on Trump's behalf, per a report by Mediaite.

The Minnesota Democrat wrote, “Donald Trump is a serial liar, cheater, and philanderer, a six-time declarer of corporate bankruptcy, an instigator of insurrection, and a convicted felon who thrives on portraying himself as a victim. @GovKathyHochul should pardon him for the good of the country.”

What prompted Dean Phillips to call for Donald Trump‘s pardon?

Rep. Dean Phillips is the first Democrat in Congress to advocate for former President Trump's pardon, which appears improbable.

On Thursday, May 30, New York Governor Kathy Hochul issued a statement following Trump’s guilty verdict in the New York hush money trial, claiming, “Today’s verdict reaffirms that no one is above the law.”

In response to the unanimous guilty verdict from the 12-person Manhattan jury bench, Republicans expressed their fervent dissatisfaction on various social media platforms with some pro-Trump figures within the MAGA movement threatening retaliation in the form of riots.

Former President Donald Trump, during a speech at Trump Tower on Friday morning, referred to the US as a "fascist state."

His son also downgraded the United States to the "third-world shithole" status the day before.

In addition, a Newsmax host reminded urban residents referring to them as “you people in your cities” that Republicans have a significant ownership of firearms.

Despite the vehement reaction from Trump supporters, some Republicans are asserting that the presumptive GOP presidential nominee's status as a convicted felon might, in turn, bolster the ex-president’s chances of being elected come November, as claimed by Sen Marco Rubio (R-Fla).

Dean Phillips' desire to have former President Donald Trump pardoned "for the good of the country" mirrors the language used by former President Gerald Ford, who pardoned Richard Nixon because he believed that prosecuting Nixon would lead to further polarization of public opinion.

There are three additional jurisdictions where Donald Trump is facing indictments, but it appears unlikely that those trials will begin before November's presidential election.

The sentencing hearing for his New York trial is set for July 11, which will be presided over Judge Juan Merchan.

Internet lambasts Dean Phillips for requesting NY Gov Kathy Hochul to pardon convicted Donald Trump

One X user remarked, "Phillips is a sniveling opportunist."

Another user said, "Just stop. What’s good for the country is supporting the rule of law and holding people accountable for their crimes, no matter who they are. NO ONE is above the law."

Another user wrote, "Thank goodness no one cares what you think."

One X user quipped, "PLEASE tell me this is a joke, much like your presidential run."

Another user suggested, "You should sit all the way down for the good of the country."

Finally, this user tweeted, "Sir this position will not help your candidacy prospects. Please rethink this!!"

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.