Potential VP Byron Donalds shreds ex-Gov Larry Hogan for urging all to 'respect' Trump's guilty verdict

WASHINGTON, DC: Republican Rep Byron Donalds has sharply criticized GOP Senate candidate and former Maryland Governor, Larry Hogan for urging Americans to respect the verdict in Donald Trump’s hush money trial.

Donalds, a strong Trump ally and potential vice presidential pick, voiced his disagreement during an interview sparking a debate about the integrity of the judicial process and the political motivations behind such statements.

Rep Byron Donalds deems ex-Gov Larry Hogan's position 'reprehensible'

Donalds did not mince words regarding ex-Gov Hogan's stance, suggesting that the former governor's appeal for respect might be politically motivated. 

"I don't agree with Larry Hogan. He is wrong, because you cannot respect the process when the fix is in from the beginning," Donalds said.

"It was fixed from the beginning. It was a rigged judicial process in lower Manhattan," he continued.

“If Hogan is playing to voters in Maryland because Maryland is deep blue, I find that to be reprehensible," Donalds stated on CNN.

"But it's his decision. What happened in New York was wrong," he added.

Donalds said that the issue at hand transcends party politics and touches on the core values that underpin American democracy.

“No, the litmus test is not for Republicans, it’s for protecting our constitution," Donalds said when he was asked if opposing the verdict was a new litmus test for Republicans.

"It's for actually protecting the institutions of our country," he added 

Rep Byron Donalds says Donald Trump's guilty verdict is a 'travesty of the justice system'

Donalds also revealed that he had spoken to Trump the night before, indicating that the former president was in good spirits despite the verdict.

He conveyed Trump's view on the trial, saying it was “a joke and it’s a farce” to him.

He reiterated his belief that the verdict was a “travesty of the justice system,” arguing that the charges should have never been brought in the first place.

His dismissal of the jury’s verdict stems from a belief that the entire process was corrupt.

“So how can I respect the verdict of the jury when everything that was put into the jury's hands was corrupt in the first place?” Donalds asked.

Internet backlash against ex-Gov Larry Hogan

Larry Hogan's plea for respect for the jury’s decision was met with significant backlash on social media.

In a post on X, Hogan urged Americans to respect the verdict and the legal process, highlighting the importance of the rule of law during a divisive period in the country’s history.

“Regardless of the result, I urge all Americans to respect the verdict and the legal process. At this dangerously divided moment in our history, all leaders—regardless of party—must not pour fuel on the fire with more toxic partisanship. We must reaffirm what has made this nation great: the rule of law,” he wrote.

However, this appeal was not well-received by netizens, who labeled Hogan a "coward."

One X (formerly Twitter) user criticized, “Would Dems respect a verdict like this? The answer is NO. Quit being a feckless coward and fight back.”

Another added, “Not one Republican should vote for Larry Hogan. Let his political career die. He's not our friend.”

"Get lost. This isn’t justice… this is a coup, they have held Trump hostage since 2020," wrote one.

The criticism continued with comments such as, “NO! This show trial was rigged by the prosecutor and the judge. There is no 'justice' when the power of the state is used to sledgehammer anyone.”

Another harshly rebuked Hogan by stating, “You are an utter disgrace. You are going to lose your Senate race,” while another lashed out, “You can shove your ‘roll over & allow Soviet show trials’ right where the sun don’t shine.”

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.