COLUMBIA, S.C. — Donald Trump on Thursday became the first former president to be convicted of felony crimes as a New York jury found him guilty of falsifying business records in a scheme to illegally influence the 2016 election through hush money payments to a porn actor who said the two had sex.
Jurors deliberated for 9.5 hours over two days before convicting Trump of all 34 counts he faced.
In his first comments after the verdict, the former president repeated many of the claims he's made throughout the trial, calling it a "disgrace" and "rigged," while lashing out at the judge.
"The real verdict is going to be November 5th by the people," Trump said in the hallway outside the New York courtroom.
Leaders from across South Carolina were quick to chime in on the verdicts.
South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster called the trial a political attack.
U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham said he expects the case to be reversed on appeal.
U.S. Senator Tim Scott called the verdicts "absolute injustice."
U.S. Congressman James Clyburn, representing South Carolina's 6th Congressional District, tweeted that "Justice has prevailed."
Representative Nancy Mace, representing South Carolina's 1st Congressional District, released a statement, saying:
“The Biden administration has treated its authority like we're in a third world, banana republic, leading to an unjust guilty verdict against Donald Trump. Men and women risk their lives for our democracy, not for it to be treated as disposable. This is a dark day for American justice”.
U.S. Congressman Russell Fry, representing South Carolina's 7th Congressional District, said the verdict was a "disgrace."
South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson said he would join the fight to support Trump's appeal.
The South Carolina Republican Party released the following statement.
The Biden-Harris campaign released the following statement.
The charges Trump faces are punishable by up to four years in prison. He is set to be sentenced on July 11.