Former president and presumptive Republican nominee Donald Trump was found guilty of 34 felony counts of falsifying business records by a New York jury Thursday. Despite Trump’s convictions, UA College Republicans are continuing to support him.
“Elitist Democrat Politicians and judges have been out to get President Trump since before he first took office in 2017, and this sham trial is just another attempt to bring him down,” UA College Republicans Chairman Riley McArdle wrote in a statement.
McArdle rejected Trump’s conviction and said that Judge Juan Merchan, who presided over the case, was “clearly biased.”
“We stand with our Party’s presumptive nominee, and we expect this crooked verdict overturned by a higher court in the coming months,” McArdle wrote.
Defendants may appeal convictions, and Trump will have the opportunity to argue his case before an appellate court.
Trump’s defense lawyer, Todd Blanche, told CNN that his team plans to appeal on the basis that the jury was biased against Trump and the timing of the trial was unfair.
Blanche said that the circumstances of the trial made it difficult for the jury to look at the evidence independent of their prior knowledge.
If the conviction is upheld on appeal, Trump will still be eligible to run for office.
UA College Democrats President Braden Vick supported the verdict and said that Trump regaining the presidency would be dangerous for Americans.
“If we elect a convicted felon to the office of President again, then that would be a damning indictment of the American people,” Vick said.
Despite Trump’s convictions, Vick said that he wasn’t surprised that many Republicans are continuing to support the former president.
“They’re all standing behind this convicted felon because they know the majority of the Republican party base has been transfixed by this guy,” Vick said.
Trump is set to be sentenced July 11, but the appeals process could push that date back.
