Campaigns & Elections
19 for Friday: PA pols’ reax to Trump guilty verdict
We gather more than 20 reactions to Trump’s historic guilty verdict in a hush money trial.
Former U.S. President Donald Trump enters a news conference at Trump Tower in New York City following the verdict in his hush-money trial. Spencer Platt / Staff / Getty Images
On Thursday, a jury in Manhattan found former President Donald J. Trump guilty on 34 felony counts related to the former president’s hush money trial. Trump was found guilty of falsifying business records, and his sentencing is scheduled for July 11, which is just a few days before Republicans are expected to pick Trump as the GOP’s 2024 nominee.
In the wake of the jury’s historic decision, City & State has compiled reactions from Pennsylvania politicos from across the state, including members of the commonwealth’s congressional delegation, state legislators and others who had something to say about Trump’s conviction.
U.S. Rep. Brendan Boyle, 2nd Congressional District
U.S. Rep. Dwight Evans, 3rd Congressional District
U.S. Rep. Madeleine Dean, 4th Congressional District
U.S. Rep. Mary Gay Scanlon, 5th Congressional District
U.S. Rep. Chrissy Houlahan, 6th Congressional District
Houlahan has not commented publicly on the Trump verdict, but her campaign account reposted a post on X from U.S. House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries.
U.S. Rep. Dan Meuser, 9th Congressional District
U.S. Rep. Scott Perry, 10th Congressional District
U.S. Rep. Lloyd Smucker, 11th Congressional District
U.S. Rep. John Joyce, 13th Congressional District
U.S. Rep. Guy Reschenthaler, 14th Congressional District
U.S. Rep. Mike Kelly, 16th Congressional District
U.S. Rep. Chris Deluzio, 17th Congressional District
U.S. Sen. John Fetterman
GOP U.S. Senate candidate Dave McCormick
U.S. Sen. Bob Casey and U.S. Reps. Brian Fitzpatrick, Susan Wild, Matt Cartwright, Summer Lee and Glenn “GT” Thompson have not yet commented publicly on Trump’s verdict.
State legislators have also expressed a range of opinions on Trump’s verdict. Senate President Pro Tempore Kim Ward said it will be up to Trump to appeal the verdict, and said the guilty verdict “raises red flags.”
Pennsylvania Senate President Pro Tempore Kim Ward
Pennsylvania Senate Democratic Leader Jay Costa
State Rep. and Democratic nominee for auditor general Malcolm Kenyatta
2022 GOP gubernatorial nominee and state Sen. Doug Mastriano
State Rep. Russ Diamond
Outside of the political world, the internet has plenty of takes on what Trump’s verdict will mean moving forward.
It seems like the guilty verdict might inspire plenty of Boardwalk T-shirt ideas this summer.
A parody account resembling the thoughts of former President James Buchanan – the first president to hail from Pennsylvania – seems to be having a good day.